COMMON AMERICAN WILD CAT. 11 



closely squatted on a large branch some distance from the ground. One 

 of the party immediately put his rifle to his shoulder and pulled the 

 trigger : the Cat leaped from the branch into the air, and fell to the 

 earth quite dead. Whilst residing in Louisiana some twenty years 

 since, we chanced one afternoon to surprise one of these depredators. 

 He had secured a hare, (commonly called rabbit,) and was so eagerly 

 engaged in satisfying his hunger as not to observe us, until we were 

 near the spot where he was partially concealed behind a rotten 

 log. At sight of us, he squatted flat on the ground. As we looked at 

 him, we heard a squirrel close by, and turned our head for an instant, 

 but scarce had we glanced at the squirrel, when looking again for the 

 Wild-Cat, he had disappeared, carrying the remains of the hare away 

 with him. 



About twenty miles from Charleston, South Carolina, resides a worthy 

 friend of ours, a gentleman well known for his skill in the sports of the 

 field, his hospitality to both friends and strangers, and the excellent man- 

 ner in which his plantation is managed. The plantation of Dr. Desel is, 

 in short, the very place for one who likes the sight of several fine bucks 

 hanging on the branches of an old Pecan-nut tree ; while turkeys, 

 geese, and poultry of other kinds, are seen in abundance in his well 

 stocked poultry yards, affording certainty of good cheer to his visitors. 



The Doctor's geese were nightly lodged near the house, in an enclo- 

 sure which was rendered apparently safe, by a very high fence. As an 

 additional security, several watch dogs were let loose about the premises ; 

 besides an excellent pack of hounds, which by an occasional bark or 

 howl during the night, sounded a note of warning or alarm in case any 

 marauder, whether biped or quadruped approached. 



Notwithstanding these precautions, a goose disappeared almost every 

 night, and no trace of the ingress or egress of the robber could be dis- 

 covered. Slow in attaching suspicion to his servants, the Dr. waited for 

 time and watchfulness to solve the mystery. At length, the feathers, 

 and other remains of his geese, were discovered in a marsh about a 

 quarter of a mile from the house, and strong suspicions were fastened on 

 the Wild-Cat ; still, as he came at odd hours of the night, all attempts to 

 catch or shoot him proved for a time unavailing. 



One morning, however, he came about day-light, and having cap- 

 tured a good fat goose, Avas traced by the keen noses of the hounds. 

 The chase was kept up for some time through the devious windings of 

 the thickets, when his career of mischief was brought to a close by a 

 shot from the gun of our friend the Doctor, who, in self-defence, became 

 his executioner. Thus ended his career. In this respect he fared worse 



