Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-12-12
AN IMMENSE LYNX.


the County Was Laid Low.
Twas a warm morning in September
when I shouldered my rifle and started
with my dog for the Giants Basin,"'
hoping to bring home fine buck, for
the venison was running low at the
camp, and in this region winter sets in
early, and when first here, stays. The
basin was favorite ''lick' for deer.
and this fall had been plentiful one
for them. The road led through sunny
Keene valley, where it turned up to
the mountain and led for the rest of
the way, along the sides of different
lodges, sometimes high in the air, and
again along the dry ledge Of" a mount
ain stream. At last the basin was
reached, and after waiting an hour or
more my patience was rewarded by OBJ
tanning fat young buck, which Iquar-
tered and hung on a tree, to await the
arrival of party of trappers who were
going to join me at the basin on the
following morning.
Before preparing for the night took
it into my head to have partridge for
supper, and started out accordingly.
Luck seemed against me, and l was
about to turn back for the basin, when,
to my dismay, had not the least idea
which way to turn, and it had grown
very dark. the wind had come up, and
every appearance of a cold night per-
vaded the air. While bordering what
to do, the wind brought to my ears
cry or moan so faint as to be hardly
heard above the whispering balsams,
but all doubt was removed by a second
cry much nearer and more distinct than
the first. now realized what the cry
meant, and I knew that the smell of
fresh vension had attracted the nose of
one of the ugliest animals of the forest,
the Canadian lynx. or bob-cat. Before
l could make ready for an attack or
find q place of shelter. the bOughs
ahead of me parted, and with yell
the lynx, for such it proved to be,
sprang straight for my shoulders. and
| would have struck me full in the chest
had not retained presence of mind to
drop on one knee and thus receive the
whole weight of the animal on my heels.
We both turned, but the cat was just
a little bit quicker, and, catching
my arm in his open jaw, rolled me
over on my back, and at the same time
settled his jaws we'll into my hunting
jacket. With tho arm that was free l
struggled desperately to reach my
hunting knife, that might the sooner
end the struggle, which was beginning
to severely tell on my strength. At
last my arm was free from his jaws; he
had dropped it to use his teeth to bet
ter effect on my throat, and had nearly
accomplished this when from under the
bushes saw black, shaggy mass fly
through the air and faston itself on the
back of the cat, who rolled over and
prepared tor another struggle, which
ended by plunging my knife 10 his
heart, and thus saving my dog-for it
was my watchful friend-from a strug-
gle that must inevitably end in
victory for the bob-cat. slept that
night with lynx for pillow aud
dog for a foot-board, and was awakened
next morning by trappers who had
come in search of me, not finding me
at the basin. By the aid Of poles we
carried the cat home, and when meas
ured it was found to reach twelve feet,
tip to tip, being the largest specimen
of the kind ever killed in the country.
boston Traveller. ~. p