The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-03-09
miscellaneous.
IN A TIGHT PLACE.
An Early Morning Adventure with n
Mountain Lion.

About three years ago two young men,
Walter Robbins and John Bennett, opera
tlvcs in Lynn shoe factory, finding them.
selves unable to save up much money by
their work, and despairing of getting ahead
much at the East, turned all their possessions
into cash, went out to Wyoming Territory,
and embarked in the business of sheep farm
ing. They located on one of tie tributary
creeks Of the North Platte river, at the foot
of the mountains.
Very early one morning, not long ago, they
slaughtered fat sheep and hung il up to
the limb of pine tree, few yards away
from the door of their "shack," or slab-house.
ten while Robbins dressed the sheep, Ben
nett proceeded to get breakias, urd fried Il
mess of the fresh sleeps liver.
Breakfast being ready about the time that
Robbins finished his task, his partner called
him in, and they sat down at II table inside to
eat. While they were thus agreeably occu-
pied, they were suddenly disturbed by the
cracking of the pine boughs, and heard a ihud,
as fsOme heavy body falling to the earth
They rose hastily from the table and stepped
to the door, and were astonished by the sight
of a large tawuy-colored animal making off
with their mutton!
Ii was mountain lion which had come
boldly up to the shack while they were eating,
and leaping among the branches where the
carcass hung, had broken them down and
secured the entire sheep!
After one hasty glance, they both turned
to snatch down their "Wiucheslers," and
Robbins, getting out little ahead, fired sew
eral shots at the creature rs il lopcd off up tho
narrow valley Of the creek. But the active
movements of the animal, Notwithstanding
the weight of mutton 1t was carrying, pre-
nd him frnpo tfinF ~ Unpb al nd mn
failed 10 touch the creature.
Tire lion kept its course up the canyon for
several hundred yards, and then disappeared
in one of the deep, narrow gulche. or draws
that open out into the creek valley.
Hes gone into that draw !" said Waite !.
excitedly. Now we'll get him. if he hash /
got deep den in there! You go round on
top of the hill, to the head of the draw, John,
and I'll go into the draw; and if don't
shoot him in there, you'll get a good shot as
he comes out"
Gan right" said Bennett, ''but be sure to
leave me time enough to make the head of
the draw"
Gun in hand the two men started at run
Bennett went up over the bluffs, and Rob
bins hurried UP the bed of the gucb
Walter soon reached the entrance To the
draw, which was merely deep, rocky notch,
stunted pines Here he waited, until he
thought Bennett must surely have made the
head of the draw, though, owing 10 n sharp
curve in the ravine, which prevented him
from seeing, he was not able to determine the
fact. Then he started hurriedy up the mar
row, bush-grown waterway, at the bottom,
holding his rifle in readiness for shot.
He soon found himself enteringa gloomy,
pocket-lke ravine with sides rough, steep
and forbiddng He afterwards admitted that
he knew it To be a rash undertaking; but he
was determined to have satisfaction for that
mutton, aud pushed on with more haste than
prudence, scrambling over powders that lay
in the bed of the waterway, and forcing
passage through thickets of brush that over
hung ii. All the time too he kept sharp
lookout for the panther which he expected
to starile out of its hiding place by the noise
OF his approach.
He did start the creature presently, and
knew that he was ON its trail for upon sew
eral of the big rocks which lay at the bottom,
he discovered traces of blood where the fresh
carcass had been dragged over them.
A moment later he came to sharp curve
in the gulch, formed by point of rocks jut-
ting out into it. Here the water bed suddenly
wdened to plat of hard earth, overhung
and darkened on one side by a low, beetling
ledge of rocks, and shut in on the other by
a brushy slope, so steep and ragged that a
man wodld have found it difficult TO climb.
The sun was not yet very high, and the
whole gulch was still in shadow; so that al
though Walter had now brought himself
face to face with the panther, he was first
made aware of lis presence by low snarling
that came from the base OF tho projecting
ledge.
Even then, 50 dark was the place he was
obliged to look as sharply as he could to see
him. Then he caught first the yellow CLEAN
of the creatures eyes and then the outlines
of its body, drawn up in angry attitude,
against the dark red back ground OF rocks.
The beast clearly meant mischief, and had no
notion of retreating from its lair under the
lodges.
Robbins leveled his Winchester and, with
hands that shook with excitement, took as
good aim as he could. The hammer clicked,
as he pulled the trigger but there was no re-
port
He threw the lever forward quickly, and
looked 10 see what was the matter. The
barrel was emplyl There was not cart
ridge in the magazne He had, without be-
ing aware of it, fired all the cartridges there
were in the gun at the panther as it ran from
the pine tree; and his cartridge belt lay, at
that moment in the shack In his haste and
excitement he had been grossly and stupidity
careless.
For an instant he stood still, staring at the
beast, which still crouching there, dashed its
sides. and threatened him with ferocious
snarls and frightful display of its bloody
mouth and wicked looking fangs!
He was about to risk retreat, backward,
for he was afraid to turn his face from the
brute, when he heard Bennett calling to him,
from the top of the bluff above. Locking up,
he could see his friends head, about hun
dred feet above him.
THAT you down there, Walt" Bennett
called out, stepping forward upon bowlder
to get q better view OF the dark gorge be-
meath. "Its an awful ugly hole down there
and there may be whole nest of panthers in
it Seen anything of him YETI"
"lm seeing him now p replied Robbins,
as coolly as he could. "He's right here under
the ledge in front of me, and haven't car
fridge in my gun"