The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-10-05

/ " LAT " ttN Nlltlbs iShCkl lily SldilLtu
fireman. Did you hear that crash"
:" oh, never mind, give me more
steam replied, for l knew we must
be nearing a steep grade. l blew the
signals to release the brakes, but with
out avail
In minute We struck the hill 1t
was hard one to climb, and the en-
CINE puffed so loudly that did not no
tice the cessation of the pigs squeals.
| Slowly but surely we Were coming TO
a standstill. The brakes still seemed
set. l again blew the signal for their
release but the train came suddenly
to an irresolute stop. although making
herculean efforts to keep going.
The incline had but begun TO start
the train was impossible
Il lighted Il pine torch, sprang from
the cab to ascertain the situation. and
had passed several ears when the most
terrible wells echoed through the for
est. The men from the rear of the
train were shouting at me. 1t was inn
possible to distinguish what they Were
saying because Of the yells which Were
rising apparently between me and
| them. These did not alarm me much,
for the creature screamed like a wild
cat, a reckless but not dangerous. night
| proWler. So on I walked toward the
rear of the train.
Approaching the trainmen l heard
them shout, Look out for the iaguar,
Powers"
Now, no wild creature is more dam
gerous to man by night than jaguar.
l halted and stared. l could now see
the glazing eyes Of the fierce brute as
he paved the lifeless pig. These eyes
followed me with such hostile intent
that l fastened back to the cab for the
fireman and my Winchester.
"Of course one Of us had to stay
with the engine, so l left my fireman
in charge and returned alone, with
torch in hand and rife ready. The
trainmen came toward me from around
the rear of the train. They told me
that the jaguar sBist have been crouch
ing on the overspreading limb, and
having heard the squeals of the pig.
must have leaped recklessly into the
passing train for his prey The train
'met had discovered him when they
started to answer my signal OF brakes
off The brute held them ut bay.
They were in the rear car, the jaguar
was III the next one, and they could
not pass over the train to release the
brakes The eighteen loaded cars,
most OF them having frightened brakes,
had stopped No. Is on the incline
T y must either give up hope Of
getting q the port III time for loading
the Breakwater. or else kill or drive
away the iaguar 1'he fire Of his eyes
was intensified by the dickering light
Of the torch. If was not a pleasant gri-
mace when the brute suggestlvely
wiped his lips and tongue with those
huge paws.
The engine gave a sudden lurch.
Ny fireman must have been meddling.
1t threw the animal from it's balance.
| His tail dashed Handing the torch to
a man | raised my Winchester The
beast glared ferociously, and meas
| ured The distance to the ground. Some
Of the men ran. As the animal seemed
about TO jump l took hasty aim and
pulled the trigger Apparently the ia
/ guar was unframed, but be had
changed his opinion about the jump,
and calmly trotted along the tops of
the bananas toward the engine.
aimed at him again and pulled the ting
ger Then [ remembered that the only
cartridge in the Winchester was the
one l had fired.
Il shouted to the fireman. but before
I could make him understand the cow
ardly fthpw jumped from the cab and
scampered into the forest. Luckily
there was no other jaguar awaiting
him
Il went toward the cab. expecting to
find the jaguar in possession, and de-
termined to club him out with the butt
Of my gun. but he was not in the cab.
] blew brakes Off and casually looked
around On the floor of the tender.
among the wood ana casks of water.
stretched @lt at full length and appar-
entity crouchng for a spring. 1 saw the
! jaguar. / jumped from the engine
The thought of the fireman's cowardica
did not then amuse me. AS fast as pos
sible 1 ran toward the rear of the train.
Ten o'clock was approaching. The
ship could not receive her fruit unless
we started Immediately. In my haste
l had left the rife ~ the cab; now [
| took a crowbar which one of the brake
men handed me But the plan from
which hoped most was his suggestion
that 1 should climb upon the engine
from the front of the cab and then
reach in to open the steam valve. on
the chance that the escape Of the hiss
ing steam would frighten the brute to
the point Of fleeing from the train.
81 opened the valve-the jaguar never
moved.
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