Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-06-24
C0QUILLE WILD CATTLE.
In the Businesses Of the Mountains
They Defy all Pnrsuers.

/ wild cattle. Hunters pronounce
/ them distinct breed from those
which have so long inhabited the
Umpqua river.
They are leopard-like in color,
being dotted with black on a skin
of dun. Their horns are thin and
long, and as smooth as though
polished with emery. Moreover,
they are pony built, and their tails
are long, sweeping and bush-like.
Their hoofs, like their horns, from
constant contact with vigorous un-
dergrowth, aresmooth and glossy.
Quick of eye, fleet Of foot, aud
with a strange power of scenting
out enemies, they have proved
more than a match for the local
sportsman who have at times gone
to the nights of the uninhabited
hills in pursuit of them.
"Well, those cattle are anomaly,
sure enough" said G. S. Andrews,
resident OF Coquille, forty-fve
miles up the Pacific ocean, to an
Examiner reporter. "Their origin
is shroudcd in mystery. Some say
they are descended from spotted
cow, which strayed away from old
Father DE Voc in 1869. The Old
man DE Voc lives down at the mouth
of the CoquiIle. He was the first
settler there, and brought three or
four cows with him, when he came
by wagon from the Lower Platte.
"About n year after he lost COW
that was about to calve, and though
he hunted far and near throughout
the heavy pines which skirt the
Coquillc he could never find her.
ale thought for a long time that
bears or mountain lions had come
upon the COW and finished her, but
when news began to come in after
three or four years that there were
some wild cattle up in the noun
taius, he half thought it must be
his cow and her progeny.
"Therc are others, however, and
DE Voc is inclined to share the be-
lief with them, who think that this
breed ofcattle has always been wild;
that they are indigenous to that re-
gion, the same as the wild cattle of
Mexico and Central America.
Certain it is, at any rate, that all
attempts to subdue these cattle have
been futile. In 1878 Tom Withrow,
n hunter, of the Coquille, after a
long attempt to kill some of them,
finally succeeded in capturinga calf.
He had come upon COW and calf
in the underbrush fifteen miles from
my place.
"rhe calf was newly born, and
too weak to get away, and the old
COW would not leave it, and at once
charged furiously upon him.
"rom was mounted on II fleet
Oregon mustang, and he put spurs
to that nag and got out of there as
quick as he was able. The COW
and the pony tore down through
the brush at terrible pace, and old
Tom thought he was done for.
"There was blood in the cows eye,
and vindictive, menacing look,
which put speed into both rider and
horse. The hunters gun was
strapped to the pony's side, and he
had no time To Use IT,
"The cow pursued him for nealry
half mile,until the mustang had
rhuclled Withrow oyer his head
down steep dechvity, and both
horse and horseman were separated.
"rhen hos bowls returned TO her
'alf. Tom was mad. He was an
Did hunter and didn't much relish
being routed by COW. He captured
his pony, tied him, and unstrapping
his gun, started IN roundabout
way up Though the hills afout,
"He lodged from Tree TO tree, aud
inally climbing one, he was able
20 decry the COW with her head mp,
her eyes blazing aud she smiling
he air. He was within rifle shot,
,nd putting two balls In her he in
licted mortal wounds, she below
ny meanwhile furlously,
"rhen he captured the calf spot :
ed like the mother, strapped il to
Ms saddle, and carried il home.
For two years he tried to domesti-
'ate that calf, Just when he
hought he was succeeding IL broke
he corral aud got away To the !
Mountains, lie never saw it after /
wards. I
"ln lSiA Harry Mcl.ane and Bill q
etlries, two Coos bay men, went
Ip In the Coquille mountains and !
pent two weeks there. They went a
for these cattle, as well as ,
) for bear and cougar After the
most skilfel manipulations they b
ueoeeded sn killing an old bull. IL
"lle was a fighter from AWAY y