The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-10-30
A Cougars Leap.


An Eastern tourist read to his com.
panion the following newspaper para
graph;
"The cougars are killing great
many sheep in Washington Territory. >
I" In New York" said he, "they
protect their sheep from those insects
by rubbing tar on their noses f; it keeps
the cougars from going into their nos
trils."
A Sacramento man, who was down
here attending the pioneers celebra-
ton, heard what he said, and remarked
Zone of them once attacked me, and
l am of the opinion that tar on my nose
would not have been of much benefit to
me-"
4" L was not aware they troubled men.
"They have got to be pretty hungry
before they will do SO"
The pioneer then informed the tour
ist that he was laboring under mis-
take, and told him that cougar was q
ferocious animal, not sheep insect.
BE complied with the request TO re-
late the particulars of his encounter
with one OF them, and commenced by
saying:
" L suppose it was the spirit of adj
venture which brought me here twenty
five years ago that prevented me from
remaining In San Francisco, where L
could have amassed fortune, and made
me the Wandering Jew of the many
widely-spread mining regions. | was
among the first that went to the newly
discovered diggings on the head waters
of the Missouri river. My partners and
myself had discovered a quartz ledge
and were sinking on it in hopes of find
ing the paymaster. 1t was situated
near the summit of the Rocky Noun
tains. The road leading to it was I'M
to be found in that region were our
neighbors.
Zone day, when returning from a
neighboring claim, where l had been to
get drill sharpened, stopped to rest
under the shade of large pine tree. L
had placed one end Of the drill on the
ground, and was in the act of sitting
down, when was startled by strange
noise over my head. / looked up ana
saw cougar just in the act of pounc-
ing down on me. His huge mouth
was open and his eyes shone like fire
balls.
Men who lead lives fraught with
danger, i'll moments OF great peril
think rapidly. The thought flashed to
me that l must catch the cougar on
my drill, or be his breakfast. / dropped
on my knees ard aimed the drill at
the place where thought his breast
would come.
" When 1 recovered enough from the
shock to realize my condition, L found
myself on my back with the carcass of
the monster on top of me. For some
time L thought my arms were broken
on finding they were not, / managed
to roll him of. next thought my
legs were broken; they were numb and
remained that way long time. No
one part of me was injured more than
the others but all parts were nearly
murdered. Instead of penetrating his
breast, the point of the drill had en-
entered his mouth, passed down his
throat and came out near his backbone.
1t was long time before / fully re-
covered. The drill had only partly
broken his fall, and the monster had
nearly crushed me to death +; but had
the satisfaction of knowing that l out
generated him, and spoiled his appetite
for miners.
After the pioneer concluded, the tour
list congratulated him on his escape
from horrible death, and admitted
that mans life would be lost on such
an occasion, if she had nothing but tar
on his nose to defend himself WITH
San Francisco Golden Eagle.