The Tupelo journal., 1903-11-20

rushed straight at him!
"The beast was SO astonished by this
maneuver that he actually bounded
clear over the bush and out of my way
and iran on with all my might toward the
mule, but kept continually looking back
to see whether | was followed. BY this
first dash / gained full 100 yards. and be-
gan to think that perhaps the jaguar had
gone off for good. But on glazing again
over my shoulder, | saw him coming for
me with great leaps, and at a rate which
BODIED i'll for my chances of escape.
81 got along about so yards farther
however, and then, as the great brute
was almost upon me, and he would have
to make a level attack, if any; and he
did that very thing.
mot being fastidious as to the manner
of getting me, so long as he got me at all,
he came stealthily round the tree, and
with bristling back, glazing eyes and
protruding claws, sought to seize me as
a cat does a mouse. His lips were re-
tracted, showing a set of cleaning fangs,
and his hot, fool breath was in my face
when l put the pistol almost against his
head and pulled the trigger.
THE bullet, striking the thick skull
at an acute angle, merely cut through
the skin and glanced off. Its impact,
however, temporarily stunned the ami
NAL. He staggered back a pace or two
and sank upon his launches; and then
again l ran as a mar can run only when
his life depends upon his speed.
81 had some hope that the jaguar was
now too thoroughly cowed to renew the
pursuit, but before | came within SO
yards of my mule he was close to M once
more; and this time. furious with rage
and the pain of his wound, he was doubly
dangerous.
Escape seemed hopeless. My arms
might as we'll have been SO miles away
for all the good they could do me unless
l could reach them, which now appeared
impossible. | would have given, just
then, all | possessed in the world for a
good hunting knife and the chance, des-
perate as it was, of making a fair stand
up fight for my life.
Upon how slight a tritle momentous
events sometimes depend! had turned
about to face my enemy, not daring long
er to keep my back to him, and as l
thought of a knife, | instinct
lively thrust a hand into my pocket,
and felt a match-one solitary match!
A little thing indeed to save a mans life,
but | realized that if it did not miss fire
it might ave mine.
MY motions had now to be quick as
lightning, the jaguar being barely II feet
distant, and again crouching for a
| spring. According 10 my usual habit,
l had, on starting out in the morning,
placed in the crown of my sombrero two
Or three copies of the last received New
York papers, partly as an additional
protection from the sun, and partly to
while away the time in reading as l rode
along.
Il now jerked these papers from my
| hattie unexpected motion serving to
delay the jaguar's spring-rolled one Of
them into a long, loose tube, and struck
the lone match on my leg.
Fortunately at the first stroke it
burst into fame. | touched it to the end
of the paper tube, which instantly
flared up in a bright blaze, and | then be-
gan to walk steadily backward.
my bloodthirsty pursuer was utterly
astounded by these tactics, and at the
flash of the fire sprang off to one side;
but seeing that he was not hurt, and that
| still retreated, he picked up courage
and sneaked after me, all the time snarl-
ing and splitting exactly as a cat does
when attacked by a dog, but ley COM
ing nearer than IS Dr. 20 feet. AS l
backed toward the mule l slowly waved
my improvised torch in a circle, and
when the first paper vas nearly burned
out lighted another.
my poor mule was making frantic eff
forts to break away, and would have
done so but for the great strength Of
the rawhide lariat; but on hearing my
voice, purposely m%odulated to calm and
soothing tones, he ceased to pull, and
although trembling with deadly terror,
stood quite still. When l finally reached
the faithful beast my second torch was
not more than t%wo-thirds consumed, and
dropping it, | snatched the rifle from its
rest and prepared for vengeance.
"The blazing paper fell into a bed Of
sodden leaves and went out on the in
slant; and the jaguar, no longer scared
by the flame, rushed forward, and for
the last time arched his back for a
spring. But now | feared him no more
than | would a rabbit, and throwing my
gun to my shoulder, sent a bullet through
his brain. He sank down with scarcely
a tremor, stone dead.
"The carcass was too heavy to carry
away, but | managed, after an hours
hard work with my pocket knife, to re-
move the beautiful pelt, with claws and
head complete; and throwing it across
my saddle, | went back to camp well
pleased, and not a little thankful at the
result of the afternoons adventure.
Afterward l had the skin beautifully
dressed by a native. and finally l sold it
at Belize to the captain of a British shin
for $100."-Youth's Companion.