Los Cerrillos rustler. (Cerrillos, N.M.) 188?-1891, 1888-12-07

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tio~ and was capable Of observing all
tha; look place
AZ the lioness lay before me on the
ground ! could see what a 1.-THE.
superb. tremendous animal she was.
Her head. lifted upright over one fore
shoulder. was opposite my knees; her
hind feet stretched a beyond my
face. Between her and me were kit
tens-or whelps. AZ we should call
them. Il the beast we're rcaiS a lion.
But though dignided by that name In
California. where IL grows 10 a truly
formidable size-a name suggested
also By the leouinc color OF the upper
portions Of IL body-the animal j.
really The cougar, or puma. or panther.
Of other parts Of America
Notwithstanding my icarfully anx-
ious state Of mind. ! noticed that the
young ones were differently marked
from the mother. They too had white.
or grayish white, below; but above
their fur wac Of a lighter tint than
hers, which wag reddish brown; and
they had rows Of pretty soft black
streaks and spots on their sides. She
seemed proud and fond Of them and
purred rs they nestled in her breast
Such a purrl Its low. slow thunder
filed the cave. Now and then she put
down her head and rubbed her face
and the upper side Of her neck against
their backs. They left her breast now
and TO crawl over her, or tussle with
each other, returning 10 II after each
tumble, and Juggling away again at her
teats, until their hunger was satisfied.
Then commenced n frolic so catlike
that was at one time almost led to
hope that might gain some advantage
from their good nature.
Yet | knew well that / owed my re-
spite, o to that, but 20 the simple
fact that the mother had but lately
gorged her appetite for flesh and
blood, and that her young ones first
preference was for milk. She was
sure to be hungry again before long;
and she would then. no doubt, give
them a lesson in disposing of their
prey. Meanwhile | was a morsel that
would keep. She probably thought
me disabled, as | certainly should have
been but for my clothing, which had
served rs n foil TO her iercely meeting
fangs. Yet, even while occupied with
her young, | felt that she never for a
moment lost sight OF me with those
wild, vigilant eyes.
| lay ms she had left me, not daring
TO stir; but beginning at length to
question whether there might not yet
be for me some chance OF escape. The
sole weapon | had about me was a
common pocket-knife; but even though
| could have managed TO get at that
and open it. without exciting her at
attention. | felt that il would be n mere
toy in Il combat with such n foe. And
any attempt to get away from the
cave. either by agility or stealth,
would only have precipitated my fate.
was four miles from the ranch; il
would be hours yet before my absence
would cause much anxiety, and, even
then, who would think OF looking for
me in the lair OF IA lionessp In their
gambols the kittens sometimes brushed
my face with their tails; and once the
mad impulse seized me TO catch one
and pitch it over the ledge at the
mouth of the cave, in the hope that
mother would follow il. Then | might
fling the other two still farther down
into the canyon, and while she was
looking them up, make my escape. 1t
was u desperate thought; but my situa-
tion was desperate, and sudden death
seemed better than the prolonged
agony Of suspense, which, after all,
death must end.
II had been in n position to take
sudden hold OF one OF the young ones
If there had been room, as the saying
is, TO ''swing n cat and | had had
time TO do IL before the mother could
hinder ne, / think ! should have made
the attempt. | saw how impossible II
was. Then. again, / hoped she would
soon tire of her play, and. stupefied,
perhaps, by her recent banquet, lie
down to digest it, and goto sleep; thus
affording me one chance in n thousand
to creep out without awaking her.
After awhile she seemed inclined 70
rest. She dropped her muzzle on her
paws, and only started up and
then to cuff the young ones when they
continued to tumble over her. Their
suddenly one Of them turned its at
tention to me. The others followed it,
example. They nipped at my cloth
ing, and | could feel their sharp teeth
pricking into my flesh. 1t was a mo
ment OF intense, ~torturing expectation.
The lioness looked on with sleepy
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