FIGHT WITH A STAG.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1917, Page 7

FIGHT WITH A STAG.

A BOY'S ADVENTURE.

A boy named Jack Matson, who works at Messrs. Coop Bros.' station on the Mahia Peninsula, was attacked by a stag within 30 yards of the homestead (says the Poverty Bay Herald). He was driving a pack horse in front of hiin, he being on foot, and looking around he saw the stag walking behind him. He had never seen deer before, and called out to his mate (a youth named Anderson) who was working on some cattle yards about 100 yards away, to look at the devil following him. When he stopped the stag bayed at him, nad the boy tried to get behind a stump, but the stag, was too quick, and drove one of his tines in between two of his ribs, piercing his lung. The boy pluckily caught hold oi the antlers and yelled out for his unite, whs came as fast as he could with an axe, but by that time the stag had Matron down and was doing his best to kill him, tearing his clothes and Inflicting another nasty wound in his thigh. When his mate got there- the stag drew oft about 12 feet and stood, and with his mate's assistance Matson was enabled to get on to a high log. Anderson then, ran to the homestead lor a rifle, and the manager went with him, hardly crediting what was told him. The stag in the meantime tried to 'get at Matson, but could not reach him, and ;yhcn he heard i voices, he went to meet Anderson and the ninaager. Five or six shots made him groggy, and he went into a small gully where the manager followed him, i Und the uc\'t shot killed him. It is I more like a tale a Deadwond Dick liovel, and one can hardly credit such n thing, but these are facts. Dr. Keith was sent for from Wairoa, and the patlent is expected to recover. He had a bad shock, and but for his mate being near would have been killed. The manager has the stag's head (ten points) find skin. The -stag was undoubtedly | looking for trouble, for when ;.e heard tho others coming he left Matson and went to meet them, as by that ime he wanted more blood, and in one way he got it from the result of a 44 bullet.