The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-03-20
FIGHTING A WILDCAT
AN ADVENTURE THAT MADE ONE
MAN SHY OF THAT KIND OF BEAST.

he Is Willing to Go Long Way
Around to Avoid Ferocious AMI
mails, Even Though Science Says
They VIII Flee at Mans Approach.
ct have read in the papers certain
scientific assertions that 10 wild ami
NAL will voluntarily attack or pursue
q human being, but that, on the con-
trary, the fercest of them, as tradition
and the tales Of woodsmen classify
them, win make haste to escape the
possible sight Of man, unless, in des-
perate cases, hunger may urge it to ap-
proach him, it's most dreaded foe, such
cases being extremely rare" said
matter Of fact and yeracious New York
business man.
eff that is so, had little expert
ence once with a wild animal that must
have been the most desperately hungry
beast that ever longed for food. The
occurrence was In northwestern Penn
sylvania, where one winter I had some
business that called me ten miles from
the county town to one Of the back
woods districts. It was late in the aft
ernoon when started on my return to
the village. The way was over lone
IL, narrow, crooked mountain road, bor-
dered by deep woods much Of the dis
tance. Toward dusk, rs I was round
ing short turn in the road, my horse.
which had a good deal Of spirit, SHE'D
suddenly and sprang forward on
furious run.
"At the same instant an animal with
glaring eyes pumped down from some
where and landed in the sleigh at my
feet. It had evidently leaped from a
tree at the horse, the quick movements
of which nervous animal had defeated
that purpose, and the attacking animal
had alighted with its fore feet on the
robe that lay across my lap. 1t glared
furiousiy at me, with it's face not more
than Two feet away, as it clung to the
robe with its sharp claws, growing
6ercely. 1 had never seen wildcat,
but knew Instantly and instinctiVely
that had one to deal with here, and
it seemed to be q very large and saw
age one at that. I had no weapon, but
fortunately the whip that stood in its
socket on the dashboard was loaded at
the butt.
.Clinging to the reins with my left
hand-the horse was running awayI
quickly drew the whip from the socket
and struck the wildcat on the head
with the heavy butt That caused the
animal to loosen its hold on the robe
and drop into the snow at the side Of
the sleigh, but the agile and furious
beast was up in the fraction, Of sec
and and with one bound sprang on the
back Of the sleigh, which had low
body.
Although the herse was running
madly away along the narrow and
crooked road, throwing the sleigh from
side to side and threatening it con-
stantly with destruction against some
rock or stump. was obliged to drop
the reins and leave the result Of the
runaway to chance, for the wildcat
was struggling desperately to gain
foothold in the sleigh and fight me at
close quarters. knew that If the
sleigh should happen 10 come into col
hsion with any obstacle heavy enough
TO wreck it would be no match for
the catamount. now wrought to the VI
most ferocily. fighting it on the slip
ping SNOW. even If were unframed by
the collision. so strained every nerve
to conquer the determined beast while
/ still! pcssc..ss@.d the advantage CT foot
hold in Tie sleigh.
Once thought it was all up With
me, for as the sleigh was carried
abruptly round a short turn in the road
by the speeding horse one runner
struck a stone or q root. and the sleigh
careened and ran ot least 50 feet on the
other rnnner alone. mechanically
threw the weight Of my body toward
the upper side Of the sleigh. all the
time raining rapid blows on the head
Of the wildcat with the butt Of the
whip. and forced the sleigh down to its
balance on both runners again. A few
more blows after that. and was re-
joiced to see the determined and tena-
cious beast first loosen one claw. hang
for q second or so by the other, while it
tried TO seize the top Of the back of the
sleigh again with its teeth, and then
tumble to the road and lie motionless
IN the snow.
'T dropped back on the seat limp
and weak and too much unnerved to
make the least effort to obtain control
OF the runaway. which was still rush
ing wildly along the uncertain road,
made still more uncertain by the gath
ering darkness. The horse ran at least
three miles farther and then began to
slow up and al last stopped half way
up q long and steep hill from sheer
exhaustion | had by this time recov-
cred sufficiently to take charge CT the
horse again and drive the rest Of the
way to the town. which wasn't far.