Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-06
AN EXCITING COMBAT.
A Pair Of Mountain Lien. aud . Pair o
Black Hills Hunters Take q Turn.

BLACK d1l1s hunters Take . Turn.
Rapid City journal.
We have just received the particulars Of
a terrific combat with mountain lions down
On the Cheyenne river, near the hot springs,
,b0ut forty miles south OF Custer CITY
Last week Mr.. Bowen, proprietor of th.
Pennsylvania House, 10 Rockerville. ano
Mr. Riley Gibson, OF Hill City. went down
% the Cheyenne on q hunting excursion,
selecting for their field q section Of coun,
seldom entered BY hunters. They b d
succeeded In killing Two deer, and were
following q third one. which they had dit.
Abled, when MI. Gibson, who was in the
cad. ran right into den of four mountain
IONS full grown male and female,
With two half.Rrown young ones. The
lions were denned under shelving rocks,and
the first notice Mr.. Gibson had Of bis fright.
full situation was the sight of the blazing
green eyes Of the dam as she ~furiously
sprang towards him. He was taken com.
pletely by surprise. All he could do was TO
interpose his gun between himself and the
ferocious animal. Once the lioness sprang
40 close to him that she gave him a glanc-
ing blow with her powerful, fang armed paw,
cutting his shoulder severely-all this tax.
ing place in less time than We have taken
to record it. At last Mr.. Gibson succeeded
IN getting the muzzle of his gun in the
animals mouth-his gun being empty-7and
thus protected himself until Mr.. Bowen
arrived and shot the animal. The wound
vas not fatal, but psrAlyzed the llonees until
Mr.: Gibson loaded his piece. Now the
male made his appearance, rushing ON Zero.
ciously to the assistance of his disabled mate.
He was next shot, but only wounded-the
shot having the effect of making him. if
possible, still more desperately ferocious.
He had nearly reached Mr.. Bowen, when
another shot from Mr.. BIS gun knocked
him down; but he regained his feet and
continued to advance. In the meantime
Mr.. Gibson was driving back the dam
towards The den, she beginning to show un-
mistakable signs of exhaustion from loss Of
blood. Finally, the dam dropped at the
mouth of the den, and then Mr.. Glib
son turned to the assistance OF Mr.. Bowen,
but the male had given up the combat and
escaped. They then loaded their pieces
and went to the mouth of the den, and we're
there confronted by two young lions, as large
as ordlnary-sized dogs, which alternate.
" licked the wounds of their dead
mother and showed fight to her slay-
ers. But short work was made Of
hem T; though ones head Was 80 badly
shattered with bullets that it will be beyond
The taxidermist's art to stuff and preserve
it's skin entire. Nj. Gibson's wound was
then dressed. when the three lions
we're packed with the rest of the game,
and the hunters returned to the settlements.
Mr.. Gibson feels that he was miraculously
'aved from a horrible death, and says he
has had the last experience he wants in
mountain lion hunting. The dam and one
Of the young ones are now with Mr.. Dam
%ielson, the taxidermist, at Hill City, and
will soon be prepared by him 80 as 10 be
exhibited, side by side, as natural IS life.
1t will be some days before Mr. Gibbons
wound will be healed. He says he almost
regrets having killed the young one, when
he recalls the picture of desperation and
grief, born of natural affection, they exhib.
tied over the dead body of their mother.