Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-06-15

saoS Storm here Is of rare occ1r.
-eucs, ana the engineer standing AZ the
naow watched shs fast descsnding
| NAes 'nat nsd fallen Continuously sinee
cary morning. His fen-y went
'oefitg away W tbs log hon es;eas
VA stood beneath the giant firs o., the
oanSs OF the Sumas. How clearly the
memory OF many snowy mornings su@nt
"a tlat famous hunting GROUND was sie-
nnsd In his mind. How ha vauid rlsa
long before daylight. build a roaring
n.e and then awaken the dairynaid
Nno would then arise and prepare a
warm breakfast for him; that kind Iit,Ie
Noman never thinking that he was self
ISL OF unreasonable in causing her so
nueo unnecessary work. After break
isst she would bring his huutins coat
ana Nil tue pockets with sandwiches with
ttue si.teriy care. When tue iieht in
ene east proclaimed the coming day, he
would shoulder his rife, cross over the
meadow and enter the forest of hrs.
WfeA'ned In Its snowy drapery. Thread
ing his way beneath a vast arbor that
mas not been Penetrated by ray of sun
sdine Tor thousand years: that even
on the brightest days vouid be dark and
gloomy, and by It's deep, solemn still
Ness itnpart feeling of loneliness and
desolatIon. No IndIan would enter its
deep, weird shades. To him il vas the
debate siiallcum illahee," the trus land
OF ghosts. Silently he would pursue his
way, stopping and locking around every
rev minutes, every nerve quIvering with
expectation. How vivid Was the recol-
lection of that clump of crab-apple trees
down by the SHORES of the lonely lake,
hRF ma
gate IN such large focks; where one
morning, when he was passing, that
band of elks went rushing away, un-
harmed by the bullets that were follow
log them, fash after fash. Then came
| the tiresome day spent following those
wary animals, and how at nIghtfaIi he
arrived at home tired out and unsuc-
cessful.
these reflections were brought to a
close by the door of the engine house
being opened, aud, after stamping the
snow from their boots, the judge, the
policeman, rancher from Snuhomish
and the tenderfoot from Geneseo en-
tered and were gladly welcomed by the
engineer. Seated around the stove, the
party discussed the probable effect the
storm would have on the game, and
then general desire was expressed
that the judge would relate some of
hIs hunting adventures. His long resi-
dence on the cast and his love of
hunting, aided by his powers of men,
DRY and observation, have made him
noted among the hunters in this vicin-
lty: there being but few kinds of ami
mails west of the Rockies that have not
fallen victims to his deadly rifle.
As a bait the policeman remarked:
hear that cou gars are killing the
sheep on the ranches mp White river"
" What are cougarsT" asked the ten
derfoot.
The cougar" said the engineer,
"goes masqueradng under different
names, such as puma, panther, painter
and cougar, In the various localities
that he inhablts, and wherever he is
you will lind him the same graceful,
great, cruel, cowardly Cat. There is
not single redeeming trait in his
character. He IL thisvish, cringing,
sneakinR, treacherous, cowardly, untam-
able villain"
Engineer" said the judge, what is
the reason you are so prejudiced against
the aniinaiy Let US hear the cause of
this animosity."
the reason is this" replied the en-
Rineer. "One winter night, four years
ago, when 1 was living on the Sumas,
was coming home from a visit to a
friend who lived over the boundary
line in British Columbia. The road
wound through the woods along the
side of the Sumas creek; Just above
lowered the Noatsacht mountains, GOV
cred with their wintry mantle of snow.
The moon wes shining brightly. giving
the frost-clad cedars a silvery appear
ance. IL was solitary wilderness. no
one at that time living on the line of
road. l had ten miles TO ride and was
canterinR swiftly along when my horse
stopped suddenly and, putting his ears
forward, began to tremble and to show
great alarm. tried to spur him for
ward, but he endeavored to turn around,
but, being firmly refined in. he plunged
about violently for few seconds and
then lay down in the road. / spranQ
from the saddle. and, my eyes being at
tracted by moving object, | saw the
cause of the trouble crouching on the
limb of dead cedar not fifteen feet
away, a large cougar. / had no weapon,
not even pocket knife. The brute be-
gan to show his teeth aud growl, with
his eyes fixed on me and his tail swing
ing from one side to the other. would
have given two dollars to have had my
| repeating rifle, and two dollars more not
to have been there myself.
The cougar still continued to glare
| at me and seemed In the humor TO select
me for his breakfast-a meal, | must
confess, had no desire TO furnish him.
Looking around, saw lying at my feet
n piece of cedar lImb, rs thick as my
wrist and about two feet long. StOop-
ing quickly, picked it up and threw it
at him with all the force l could COM
mand. striking him fairly on the head
and surprising him so that he let 20 his
hold ON the tree and fell almost at my
feet. As soon as he touched the ground
be made two or three jumps and IN his
hurry to escape fell III the creek.
could hear hmm splashing amongst the
driftwood for some time after. Nv
horse had started for home without his
rider. and found him standing trem-
bling at the barn when arrived there.
After that, when / went out at night,
| was careful to take my revolver with
me-"
Now" said the policeman, 81 will
tell you my experience with a cougar.
In 1872 Whitemote, farmer Who lived
on the shores of Lake Washington,
about three miles from town, caught q
cougar. Whittemore had a small band
of sheep and the cougar had found out
that the mutton was good, 80 IL made
out to kill the whole flock in one night
whittemore built q log trap the next
day and baited It with one of the sheep
the cougar had killed, and the next
msrning was ovsrioyed TO find the oeu-
gar safe in the trap. He came to town
aud had Charlie Mcdonald build him
strong iron cage, and he hired me TO
bring my team of heavy drau2ht horses
and my strong truck to haai the cougar
into town. tell You it Was fun. We
placed the cage Just opposite the door
OF the trap, but the cougar was not will
ing TO 90 into the Gage, so We procured
long poles and proceeded 20 stir the
brute up, which ii objected 10. Itwould
bite OF sticks as Thick as my wrist aud
would stand mp on its hind legs and