ground, and some were blown into the sea. Their cisterns, their only
dependence for water, were mostly destroyed. Even the cannon mounted on
a small battery were dismounted, and most of the inhabitants were in
great distress. Every vessel and boat, that floated about the island,
were blown to sea or destroyed. Out of the twenty vessels that were at
the island on which Mr. Tucker lived, when the gale came on, only six
were heard ever from after. Five out of these six were wrecked on
adjacent islands, and every soul on board three of these perished. The
gale was said, by the oldest inhabitants, to be the most violent ever
known in that region. We remained on the island ten or twelve days, and
then, taking passage in a ship bound for New York, reached that city
safely on the last of November.

A TUSSLE WITH A WILDCAT.

In 1781, Lexington, Ky., was only a cluster of cabins, one of which,
near the spot where the courthouse now stands, was used as a
schoolhouse. One morning, in May, McKinley, the teacher, was sitting
alone at his desk, busily engaged in writing, when, hearing a slight
noise at the door, he turned and beheld an enormous wildcat, with her
fore feet upon the step, her tail curled over her back, her bristles
erect, and her eyes glaring rapidly about the room, as if in search of
a mouse.

McKinley's position at first completely concealed him, but a slight and
involuntary motion of his chair attracted the cat's attention, and their
eyes met, McKinley, having heard much of the powers of "the human face
divine," in quelling the audacity of wild animals, attempted to
disconcert the intruder by a frown. But puss was not to be bullied. Her
eyes flashed fire, her tail waved angrily, and she began to gnash her
teeth. She was evidently bent on mischief. Seeing his danger, McKinley
hastily rose, and attempted to snatch a cylindrical rule from a table
which stood within reach, but the cat was too quick for him.

Darting furiously upon him, she fastened upon his side with her teeth,
and began to rend and tear with her claws. McKinley's clothes were soon
in tatters, and his flesh dreadfully mangled by the enraged animal,
whose strength and ferocity filled him with astonishment. He in vain
attempted to disengage her from his side. Her long, sharp teeth were
fastened between his ribs, and his efforts served but to enrage her the
more. Seeing his blood flow very copiously from the numerous wounds in
his side, he became