The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-10-21
How q MOuntaineer Captured Wild
Pony and Killed Puma.

Nj. E. Irving, the mountaineer-hunter,
recently came into Colorado Springs
from the mountains, SAYS the Rocky
Mountain NcDS, and reported the dis
covery of a pony in company with
herd of bison known to range among
the hills about the northern base of
Pixies Peak The pony had often been
seen by other hunters, leading the bison
herd, and had long been known as the
property of an old citizen now absent.
Irving, believing that he could capture
the pony, was appointed by Justice
Lyon Deputy Constable for that pur-
pose, and he accordingly left Colorado
Springs, about ten days ago, mounted on
a mule, with lariat, rife and mountain
outfit. On Tuesday he returned, bring
ing with him the pony.
His manner of capturing the animal
was an achievement that stands alone
among lariat-throwing exploits. The
third day out in the mountains he dis
covered the pony in a small park OF
some fifteen acres, together with several
bison and large herd of elk. The
pony, it appears, was feeding off a little
distance from the herd. Irving, by
laying close to the back of his mule,
and permitting it to feed slowly along,
succeeded in getting between it and the
other animal, when he rose up in his
saddle and gave an unearthly scream,
at the same time bearing down on the
pony, which, with snort and bound,
started off in an opposite direction from
the now frightened herd. The bison
and elk were soon out of sight.
The pony took towards the southern
edge of the park, where it disappeared
up a deep, narrow, rocky canyon. lrv-
ing, finding it impossible to urge his
mule along the almost impossible
gorge, dismounted, and, leaving the
animal secured to a tree, continued the
pursuit on foot For nearly two miles
be followed the devious course of the
canyon, which in places was not
more than three feet wide, its walls ris-
ing perpendicularly to height of
several hundred feet. The canyon
unexpectedly opened into a park of
some two or three hundred acres, around
which mountains rose with gradual
slopes, covered with dense growth of
the pinion trees. Following the path Of
the pony among the -pinions, along the
base of the mountain, Irving was star
tied by q strange noise, the like of which
he had never heard before, and which
filed him with a nameless dread. He
fastened on, however, and soon came
upon the pony, securely in the power of
a mountain lion, which had fastened its
teeth in its side, pulling it down to the
earth. ....-. ..-r
Irving's first movement was to secure
the pony with his lariat, one end of
which was fastened to his belt. No
sooner had he accomplished this than
he was discovered by the lion, which,
loosening its hold on the pony, sank
down by its side in a crouching attitude,
with its gaze fixed upon the hunter, and
ready to spring upon him with the crush
ing power peculiar to the animal. With
the celebrity and accuracy of the expert
enced hunter, Irving sent a ball from
his Winchester through the brain of the
lion, which bounded into the air with q
roar that might have been heard mile,
and quickly expired. a-.-
The pony, slightly injured, tugged
Justify at the lariat in its efforts to regain
its freedom. But Irving says that after
reading the execution to him he seemed
to give up and became quite docile. The
hide and head of the lion were secured
by the hunter, and were on exhibition
at Colorado Springs yesterday. The
length of the animal from nose to tail is
eleven feet four inches. The pony has
been advertised at Constable's sale, and
many bidders are awaiting the day of
sale. 1t is a shaggy, vicious, wild-look-
ing animal, which would pass for a cross
Of the hisnn and the hrnnchn