The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-09-18

est. The men from the rear of the
train were shouting at me. 1t was i'm
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 seemed like a wild
cat. reckless, but not dangerous,
night prowler. So on l walked toward
| the rear of the train.
| Approaching the trainmen,
heard them shout: Look out for the
! jaguar, Powers!'
Now, no wild creature is more dan
! gerous by night to man than iaguar.
| halted and stared. l could now see
the glaring eyes of the fierce brute as
he paved the lifeless pig. Those 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 must have
been crouching on the overspreading
limb. and having heard the squeals of
the pig, must have leaped reckiessly
into the passing train for his prey.
! The trainmen had discovered him
when they started TO answer my sig
nal of brakes Off The brute held
| them at bay. They were in the rear
car, the jaguar was in the next one,
! and they could not pass over the train
to release the brakes. The is loaded
cars, most of them having frightened
brakes had stopped No. 10 on the in
cline
81 must either give up hope of get
ting to the port in time for loading
! the Breakwater, or else must kill OF
drive away the jaguar. The fire of his
| eyes was intensified by the Pickering
light of the torch. 1t was not pleas
| ant grimace when the brute suggest
lively wiped his lips and tongue with
| those huge paws.
THE engine gave sudden lurch
Ny fireman must have been meddling
1t threw the animal from his balance
His tail dashed. Handing the torch tic
a man, | raised my Winchester. The
beast glared ferociously. and meas
ured with his eye the distance to the
ground. Some of the men ran. As
the animal seemed about to jump
l took hasty aim and pulled the trig.
ger. Apparently the iaguar was I'M.
harmed, but he had changed his opin.
ion about the jump. and calmly trotted
along the tops of the bananas toward
the engine. l aimed at him again and
pulled the trigger. Then I remem.
bered that the only cartridge in the
Winchester was the one had fired
81 shouted to the fireman, but before
I could make him understand the COW.
ardly fellow jumped from the cab and
scampered into the forest. Luckily
there was no other iaguar awaiting
him.
81 went toward the cab. expecting
to find the jaguar in possession, and
determined 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 and casks OF
water. stretched out at full length arG
apparently crouching for a spring,
saw the iaguar. l jumped from the
engine. The thought of the fireman's
cowardice did not amuse me. AS fast
as possible l 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 in the cab; now
took a crowbar which one of the
brakemen handed me. But the plan
from which | hoped most was his sug,
gestion that / 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 kissing steam would
brighten the brute to the point OF
leaping from the train.
81 opened the valve the iagua1
never moved.
81 then reached a heavy iron wrench
and threw it at the beast with all nv
strength. 1t struck him upon the head
but he did not stir. | was startled
Climbing to the fancied security of the
top of the cab, I poked him with
longhandled rod; but I could see nc
sign of life.
''After a close watch. I descended
to the floor of the cab and opened the
furnace door to have more light. The
iaguar was dead. There was a hole
through his head caused by the lucky
shot from my Winchester. He haG
walked to the tender in daZe and
died there.
81 blew the whistle vigorously. II
was a welcome sound to the trainmen
The brakes were speedily released
The fireman came scramblng back;
[ opened the throttle. and slowly the
train went up the incline toward Porto
Cortez.
'At little after ten O'Clock that
night the whistling of No. 10, approach.
ing with her load of bananas, sum.
moned the crew of the Breakwater
whose captain congratulated the of.
ficials of theHonduras railroad on the
IL. III