Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-12-06

ance, dancing in time to music, sitting dowi
on his hams, jumping, pretending to drol
dead when a six shooter is discharged, lying
down at a word, and hundred others. HI
will "fetch and carry" like dog, and can
follow trail night or day over the mos
rocky ground, with the unerring precision o
bloodhound. He can scent water fol
miles, and always gives warning of the neal
presence Of Indians. He seems to have but
one friend, and Zeke is the only man tha,
has ever been able to ride him. He will not
make friends with man or beast, only when
commanded to do so BY the old scout, and
the horses he had lamed, and the dogs
chickens. pigs, goats, and sheep he had kill
ed would run up into the hundreds. He
viii attack man IN the same way, and peo-
pie who know him have a mortal terror OF
him.. He cannot be kept in confinement
lie breaks ropes, slips halters and brides,
snaps hobbies, jumps fences and walls, and
breaks down the strongest gates and doors.
When Zeke was at the post he used to wan
der about at pleasure, and everybody gave
him wide berth. On several occasions
when he found time hanging heavy on his
hands Tor rather legs) he amused himself BY
breaking into the little flower gardens about
the quarters of the officers. and it was sim
| ply wonderful the amount of irreparable
damage he could do in five minutes time.
One day one Of the officers gave grand
party to some of his friends from the States
who were visiting the post 1t was sort
of garden fete, and big grove of cotton
woods in the rear of the post hospital were
selected for the merry making. The officer,
who was young and unmarried made great
preparations for the occasion. He had a
big fruit-cake baked, and one of the soldiers,
who had been a confectioner. compounded,
after great deal Of difficulty, something
which passed for ice cream. This was for
the ladies, who were mostly Young pretty
and unmarried The son of Mars did not
forget the wants of his male friends and
made a big tub of punch very stoutly
spiked" Some one at the post had GRO
quet set, and all the picnickers took hand
at the game. \ detail Of black soldiers un-
der command Of corporal, looked after
the lunch. and while the croquet was going
on put up the table. The punch, the biz
cake and the mysterious compound which
passed for ice cream, were placed under a
small tent which had been set up under the
trees. No one paid any attention to Cougar,
who was feeding on the hospital lawn. The
tent attracted his attention and he walked
up to see what 1t all meant. When the sol
! dlers went 20 get the good things there was
| nothing left of the cake but few crumbs,
the ice cream had been overturned and was
soaked into the ground, and the punch tub
was as dry as buffalo wallow IN March.
The officer who was engineering the fcte
was furious and he started to hunt up Cou-
gar with rage III his heart, something like a
big, big, d. on his lips and blood in his
eye. He found the forager on the parade
ground as drunk as member Of the Legis-
lature on junket and surrounded bv the
entire population of the post. Cougar was
on a funny drunk and when the rate officer
reached him he was trying to stand on his
head. The young mans rage was turned to
( laughter and his guests forgot all about their
loss watching the diotic antics of that horse
For him it was the fatal first drink. which
leads to cocktails before breakfast every
morning, and he gets drunk now whenever
he can get the liquor. | have often seen
HIM at the door Of the post-trader's saloon
begging for drink and have several
times known him to 90 on regular high
lonesome" On one of these drunlls a sol
der began teasing him. and his little fun
came near costing him his life
Just before the Victoria raid small band
Of Indians ran il on the horse herd which
was feeding close by the post and stampeded
several animals. Cougar was one of The
horses they ran off He came back to the
post the next day and his fore-egs were COW
after the thieves, and when they came in
.b.,,.r ta1 Id l. a l..
found living alongside the trail, whose body
was mashed into a jelly. He had probably
been trying the experiment Of riding Cou-
gar. and the horse had thrown and killed
him. Cougar wears a gold medal around
his neck, and a history Of this medal shall
close this sketch.
In 1874 party Of soldiers who were be-
ing guided by Zeke followed an Indian trail
which trended across FL Liano del Mur,e,
which is an arid, sandy, alkali desert 1t is
about one hundred miles wide and there IS
very little water on it. The soldiers had
reached the middle Of the desert when they
were overtaken BY terrible sandstorm,
which lasted about twelve hours Many of
the men and horses were sutiocated bv the
sand. The packs and ater-sacks were
blown away and those of the horses that
we're not killed, s,ampeled. Old Zeke was
badly bruised, and the alkal dust entering
his throat had 50 swollen it, that he could
hardly speak. The soldiers were living
about, suffering from the same difficulty, and
Zeke knew that unless they could reach wa
ter they would all perish. When he came
to his senses Cougar was standing near him,
and he called the animal to his side. With
great difficulty he managed to Chamber into
the saddle.
Water he whispered hoa7scly in the
horses ear
Cougar threw up his head, shifted the air
for moment. and then started off at a gal
Top. He made straight for a water hole
about three miles distant, and when he
reached there Zekc was enabled TO a!lav his
burning thirst. He filled his cauteen With
water and started Cougar back with it 10 the
suffering soldiers He made the Journey
swiftly, and when he returned his saddle
was loaded down with cnntren>. Xeke filed
these and started the horse baci; again He
made several trips, and when every body had
been supplied the missing horses and pack
animals were hunted UP am. the out 1t turned
back 'oward the post. When they reached
there, and the sto;y Of Cougar, sagaciy le-
came known. they made hero Of The hcr>e.
The officers draik hin health, their wive,
and daughters made Il II hlaHNct, tie SOL
diers whose lives he had saved con;rihut-
ed money enough to buy him costly saG-
die and bride. and the commander Of the
scouting party had gold medal struck. on
which is engraved an account OF The affair,
'Yaas ." said Zeke, when he finished his
4 story. Cougar ez tolerbul keen an he htz