The Yale expositor., 1903-02-27
PLUCK and O O
O O Rdventure.
A NARROW ESCAPE.


minds me OF an experience
I had on Cat Island. a
small chunk OF land I'm
Arkansas. and on the ST. Francis River.
in 1879" said an old resident OF Ar.
kansas. land II was one OF the most
thrilling experiences | ever had In the
woods. was farming ON Cat Island
that year. II Is a dense, Wild section.
the underhrush made up OF bamboo
and other matted ami tungllng vines
was almost lmpcnctrahle and alto
gc.hpr II was simply impossible FOR a
man 90 get through the woods without
cutting his way through. and he had
TO crawl nearly all the time al that.
In 1873 bears were almost as thick rs
wild cane In that section. They made
savage attack OH my corn crop. aud
had rcsortcd 10 all sorts OF cxprdients
to get rid OF them. but without any
sort of success. Every night they
would invade my cornncld get an arm
rui of torn. ~ much as n bear could
carry In his arms. which Is no small
amount. and would take II on TO the
den. When they first began the attack
spent many nights In the pcrsimmon
trees az the back fence line Of the place
watching FOR them. | had u small
scaf.old built In every pcrsimmon tree
along the fence live. hut | believe a
bear can smell human being ten miles
II the wind happens 10 be favorable.
During the nights | watched from tho
pcrsimmon tree the wind was blowing
back toward the woods and not a bear
entered the cornncid. But this Is not
the point / had In mind. one dglszliug
afternoon | went out into tho woods
several miles bacG Of the place hunt.
ING FOR one Of my males. and ius; took
my gun along to bc on IN" safe side
of an emergency. FOR In addition to tho
great rambler of bears that reason
caiamounts and panthcrs were picn.!
ful
II was alone. with the exception o.
n couple OF green. unframed hound
pups. who wouldn't leave my heels
under any circumstances Until The little
experience | am about 10 relate. After
winding around FOR some time | cane
upon a rather large. hollow tree the
base OF which aroused the suspicion
In my mind that &c was tho abode OF
some Lind OF an animal Tho hound
pups strengthened this belief 10y whin'
ing and scamperiug around through
the underground In q hall frightened
cort Of way. The opening 10 IN" hasc
81 4
~ q whlsl,ey barrel. concluded tina;
would catch a glimpse oi daylight
a. the ton. for the tree had the evidence
o. .ng hollow oil the way uP. |
leaned my shotgun against Che tree ana
showed my head through The opcu.a:
In the side OF the tree. Ny head AID
taco were literally covered by a shower
NJ wood dust. There Was q heavy.
deep roar In tho body OF the Tree. and
~ quick rs Hash biz. black. ponder
Gus something dropped To Tie ground.
and In an instant | found myself face
10 face with bear. lie shot his head
out through tho hole. showed me his
tce'ii-tccth which seemed TO me 90 lo
MS harp rs daggers. and they were
not short. either I found my hound
pups 40 home They DIDN'T return
with me. md n they had I couldn't
have told just how they got bncf. !
loft Zine brccch.loallng shotgun .rau-
lug against the tree and IT, there yet.
go Far as | am aware. Tho bear &C..
tuqily blew lis breath m my face, Hnd
became panic stricken. ANA 10 save
my life can't tell whether went oycr
or under the can" IN gettirg ont oi Oh"
woods. New Orleans Timcs-Dcmo.
cgat