Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-24
PLucKY JESS popsoN.
He Comes Upon Eva California Li0ns
and Shoots Three.

He Comes Upon F!vs California Lions
and shoots Three.
Jess Dodson, who lives in the red
woods near Signal Ridge. recently had
an adventure with a gang of big cats.
He was riding up the trail on the divide
between the Garcia and Geralala riv-
ers at dusk, when he saw five mount
ain lions on the trail about one hum
dred yards away. Jess had no weapon
except small pocket pistol, which was
useless in such case. He rode to-
ward the lions until within twenty
yards, and then swung his hat and
and yelled at them, hoping to break
up the mass-meeting and get clear
path opened. But the lions, brave in
their strength of numbers. haughtily
declined to be scared. and stood there
looking at Jess in mild surprise. Jess
was mad. He turned out into the
brush and rode around them. When
he got back into the trail he spurred
on to his cabin, harboring designs of
revenge. He seized his Winchester,
filled the magazine, and went back
along the divide to introduce disturb
ing element into the mass-meeting;
but when he reached the place he
found that the meeting had adjourned
or gone into executive session in the
chaparraL Tho tracks of the lions led
to the right and down the side of the
ridge. which is very steep. Jess fol-
lowed them. keeping a sharp look
ahead to detect the first glimpse OF
tawny hide through the brush. He
was so intent upon this lookout that
he did not watch his foothold with suf-
ficient care, depending upon the bushes
which he grasped with one hand to
save him from too rapid descent.
Suddenly stone rolled from be-
meath his foot, bush gave way, and
he plunged feet foremost down the
slope and into gulch. carrying
small avalanche of rocks and earth in
his wake. He managed to keep his
feet under him. and he landed upright
at the bottom of the gulch. ri ght in the
middle of the adjourned convention.
Whoo-aow!" yelled jess. as he struck
solid ground. and the astounded lions
bolted without waiting to see what
made all the row. One of them made
a leap of at least thirty feet for
starter, landed at the foot of big red.
wood, and clawed bark like bark
mill in getting up to the first limb.
some fifty feet from the ground. An
other cleared Dodson's head with a
bound. and went up the ridge a-kit-
ing. Two others scrambled into trees
close at hand, and the fifth went
scooting down the gulch in extreme
haste.
jess took two shots at the nearest
one and tumbled him out of the tree
with broken spine. He fired at an
other and hit him in the fore leg, and,
being anxious to get as many as pos
sible. he turned around to shoot at the
third without waiting to finish num-
Der two. Number three had the good
sense to select a roost on the oppo-
site side of the tree, and Jess could
not get bead on him from where
he was standing. He moved around
to get a shot, paying no attention to
the surly growis of number two up
alof:, and finally got a sight of the
lion head close to the trunk of the
tree.
jess had got his nerves under con-
troll by that time. and he put bull
let into the animals brain ut the first
fire. just as the lion began to to"ple
on the limb and was about 70 fall
Jess heard an extra loud growl and
a whish in the air behind him, and
he threw himself fat on the ground
instantly. Number two, with the
broken fore leg, had leaped from the
tree at his back and passed over him
just as he fell. When the broken
legged lion struck the ground he
yelled with pain and baffied rage,
but, having missed his mark in the
leap. he made off instead of turning
round to give battle. jess got upon
his knees and worked the lever of
his Winchester, sending a stream of
bullets after the retreating animal.
with the apparent effect only of in
creasing its speed. But he followed
the bloody track through the brush.
and a quarter of mile beyond the
scene of the conflict he found the
wounded lion clawing up dirt and
biting up saplings in his death
struggles.-M y Sun.