Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-12-25
OLD SERIES VOL. s3. NO. l.
TIER EBY HANGS TALE,


ne y, 0. Picayune discourses, under this
ueauIl9, OF rare animal at present in New
oritans, IN manner following, 10 wit:
''l', the tail, hangs 10 what the naturalis,s
call puma, the Mexicans Lion, the Tex.
ans Mexican Lion. A splendid fellow he
Is, 100, with great, sleepy green eyes, a skin
as soft as velvet and beautifully mo,,led,
teeth half inch long and sharp as razors,
claws over an inch in length, paws four in.
ches across, limbs as finely proporiioned as a
scul ptor could desire and as brawnv as auy
| ploughmans you ever saw, chest as broad
as young colts and body as flexible as a
! snakes. The fellow is playful, TOO the only
rrecauiion 10 be taken is not 10 put your hand
where he can get hold of il. To look at him
one would think him the gen,lest Of kittens,
as weak and delicate as a mouse but look
AT his old cage, with the thick timbers torn
up as if siluck by lightning, will change this
opinion at once. Once or twice already he
has got loose in the big warehouse where
he is kept, and such sudden disappearance
of the human inhabitants thereof as then
took place was never before witnessed. He
did no harm, however, being mercfully in-
clined.
This specimen of what Texas can produce
N the way of wild animals, was, when a
cub, canght on the Rio Grande by an officer
in the army, and was presented by him 10
friend of his residing in Corpus Christi He
grew up under charge OF a Mexican, who
led him about, withou, chain, and treated
him as he would favorite dog. The ami.
NAL never attempted to harm his guardian
and appeared TO have decided affection for
him.
Not long since an acquaintance of ours, a
young man unacquainted with the ways of
the world, and particularly the world of Tex
as, was out on horseback in the prairies,
back Of Corpus Christi, ''looking for what he
could see. Presently, in moving along
road, he came across one Of those low, odd
awkward looking things, called Mexican
cart. 1t occupied the middle of the highway
the oXon harnesscd 10 it were lying down.
chewing the cud of animal reflection. The
vehicle was apparently unoccupied
Our adventurer rode nearer, and Just as he
was within few feet of the cart, up rose
suddenly tall, black, oil-skn covered, s,ee-
ple-shaped Mexican hat, and under it one of
the strangest faces that ever as,onished
stranger. 1t was no less an individual than
our 'ion," who had sprung up and sat there
on his launches, showing his teeth in grim
smile, aud staring out of his big, greer, gis.
lening eyes in no pleasant manner for a per-
son unaccustomed TO such adventures Our
traveller felt Gall oversize down TO his boots
his horse, frightened out Of his wits, snor,ed
and reared and pranced around, getting as
far ont Of the cart as he could. The "lion"
sat still, wagging his long tail. aud evidently
enjoying The scene. His appearance, with
the tall, queer hat, was ridcuons enough
still there was something about him that
made it more natural to desire 10 get out of
his neighborhood than 10 stay near and laugh
at him.
Our traveller speedily reganed his pres
ence OF mind, and forced his horse up 20 the
cart. A mans head now rose above the side
of the cart, and called ont in Spanish what
the Senor wanted, The lions companion
was his guardian-a Mexican. He was go.
ing down Corpus Christi, 10 deliver him to
his owner, and at noon had stopped his cart
and laid down to take a nap. The lions
haunch was an excellent pillow for the Mex.
leans head, and the lions head superior
deposit for the Mexican's hat. So both had
gone lovingly TO sleep together.
The Mexican lion no wise resembles his
African or Asialic namesake. He is more
) akin 10 the Tiger. The one we have spoken
of above, is the finest specimen of the race
we have ever seen. They are now quite
) rare in Texas.