Mountain Home bulletin. (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1888-1889, 1888-11-10

Willie The three varmints rolled over
and over on the ground In heap, strug.
CLING, biting, roaring and clawing away
at each other like mad demons. First one |
party seemed to he getting the best Of the |
fight and then the other. The lions were |
on top most of the time, however, for the |
silver tip seemed to think he would stand |
better show II he kept down on his back |
and fought with all four Of his paws at
liberty. The way he worked those paws
was caution. Once or twice during the
first few minutes the lions came In for
vicious scrapcs that ripped long red
gashes In their hides, and they backed of
few PAGES and uttered dismal howls, as
though bewailing their hurts. This gave
the old bear a chance TO pull himself to-
gether, and he stood up and weaved back
and forth aud moancd, sorrowful like, as
though he would heap rather see his as
sailants turn around and walk off than
come at him again. This was In the early
stage Of the fight, before the bear had
properly got his mad up.
1t was pretty even match, considering
everything. A mountain lion can walk
all around q bear for quickness, and two
of them together are able to make things
mighty uncomfortable for almost any kind
of an animal. But, on the other side,
their hides are right smart tendercr than
! BEARS, with no wool to speak of; and an
old silver tip has more lives than dozen
mountain lions.
After snarling and grinning at each other
awhile, ''wor-rr-ri quow-r-r! psssssi
| spit! yeaow-r-rl whoof! zippp:r' they
were at 1t again, the bear down on his
back a-thrashing and swapping like mad
| to stand the lions of. The lions how
ever, badly laceratcd rs they were in the
| first two rounds, seemed determined to
chew the bear up. They flew at him
like twin furies, biting and tearing away
with such demoniacal ferocity that
more than one guttuaal ''Ughr' involun-
tarily escaped Long Dogs lips rs we lay
there and looked on Ten minutes after
the commencement 1t became very evident
that the fight couldn't last much longer
The skin OF one Of the lions left side was
hanging IN ribbons, and the other ont
seemed to have half its face torn away
Owing to the bears heavy coat it showed
up at this stage Of the struggle q heal
perter than the lions; but, all the same
1t was dyed from head to tail with its owl
blood. All three were becoming some
what weaker from the loss Of blood, bu
the silver tip WAS by far the likeliest look
ing animal Of the three. As the flgh
progressed he got madder than a horne
all through, and instead of weaving an.
moaning when the lions drew off for
breathing spell, he took to chasing then
around. The lions kept clear of him un
til they got good and ready to waltz II
and on him again, when they made the fu
fly for oil their teeth and claws wer
worth.
When the lions drew of for the fourt
time, one Of them had his belly rippe
, open and his entrails were dragging O
the ground. He soon got SO weak that b
couldn't keep out Of the old bears reach
The silver tip fetched him a savage swip
over the head that tore away the scalr
He then flung himself Oh the helpless llo
| and finished him up in u fine burst Of sa,
, age fury
! The bear was now boss of the field, bu
he was growing so weak that he fairl
staggered as lie moved Off after the otl,e
lion. This critter had got all the bea
light he wanted for one dose, and Wa
= plainly on the point Of clearing out. II
didn't seem to understand that his par
ner was goner, though, and ne sat dow
on his launches out of the bear's reaci
Q as though expecting the other one to joi
! him.
"Ughr' said Long Dog, "now KILL"
y Bang! bang! Long Dog bowled ovt
Z the surviving lion, and toppled over ii
I bear. We then strobe out upon the fiel
a Of battle and took in the slaughter pei
q The old silver tip staggered to his feet I
a We moved out Of cover, but 1t was all
r could do; another shot laid him ont fo
q good. We examined the carcasses with
' good deal Of curiosity to see which In
Z Jared the worst. There wasn't much I
choose between them, after all. Beneat
4 the fur there was hardly All inch of soun
n hide on the BEARS body. One OF his cy,
/. was torn out. and his tongue was bite
i completely In two. He would have die,
a probably, In less than half an hour II "
hadn't finished him off.
= As I said, in comparing 1t with Il
moonlight scrimmage among the grizzli
10 ut the head waters Of the Rosebud, l thir
4 this was little bit the prettiest fight
d ever saw in the Rockies, barring none..
n New York Sun.