Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-11-05
A Cougars Leap.

AN Eastern tourist read to his compan-
ion the following newspaper paragraph:
" The cougars are killing great many
sheep in Washington Territory"
"In New York" said he, " they pro-
tect their sheep from those insects by
rubbing tar on their noses; it keeps the
cougars from going into their nostrils.n
A Sacramento man, who was down
here attending the pioneers celebration,
heard what he said, and remarked:
" One of them once attacked me, and
I am Of the opinion that tar on my nose
would not have been of much benefit to
me-
" [ was not aware they troubled men,"
"They have got to be pretty hungry
before they will do So"
The pioneer then informed the tourist
that he was laboring under a mistake,
and told him that a cougar was Zero
CiOus animal, not sheep insect.
He complied with the request to relate
the particulars of his encounter with one
of them, and commenced by saying:
Il suppose it was the spirit of adven-
ture that brought me here twenty-five
years ago, that prevented me from re-
naming in San Francisco, where l could
have amassed fortune, and made me
the Wandering jew Of the many and
widely-spread mining regions. l 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 Mountains
The road leading to it was unfreQuented,
and all the wild animals to be found in
that region were our neighbOrs.
Gone day, when returning from neigh
boring claim, where / had been to get
drill sharpened, l 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 a strange noise over my
head. [ looked up and saw cougar just
in the act of bouncing down on me. His
huge mouth was open and his eyes shone
like tireballs.
men who lead lives fTaught with dan
ger in moments of great peril think rap
idly. The thought flashed to me that
must catch the cougar on my drill or be
his breakfast. I dropped on my knees
and aimed the drill at the place where /
thought his breast would come.
"When l 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 / thought my arms were broken;
on finding :hey were not l managed to
roll him off | next thought my legs
were broken; tLey were numb and re
manned that way a long time. No one
part of me was injured more than the
others; but all parts were nearly MUIR
dered Instead Of penetrating his breast
the point of the drill had entered his
mouth, passed down his throat, and came
out near his backbone. 1t was a long
time before l fully recovered. The drill
had only partly broken his fall, and the
monster had nearly crushed me to death;
but | had the satisfaction of knowing
that I out generated him and spoiled his
appetite for miners"
After the pioneer concluded the tour
list congratulated him on his escape from
a horrible death and admitted that a
mans life would be lost on such an occa.
sion if he had nothing but tar on his nose
to defend himself with.-SGn Francisco
Golden Era,