The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-09-12
BELLEVUE La, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 1885,

had crawled over the tops of the lowe,
ones in front, when l heard the sound
OF soft footballs just on the other side
OF fringe of bullberry bushes, which
skirted the stream above the spring
where my elk lay. pricked my ear:
and looked sharply for the game, which
from the muf1led sound | took tc
be two or three bears running dowr
the canyon.
Il had no time to speculate upon the
nature OF the animals, before there
bounded in sight two big tawny noun.
tain-lions! They were racing down the
canon, jumping sidewise and running
against each other in way that was,
no doubt. intended to be playful, and
was just about to stop one of them with
shot from my rife. when in the same
breath each of them caught a scent OF
the elk's carcass, and came to a sudden
halt.
''They stood for a moment with
heads erect, ears pricked forward, and
tails switching eagerly, their yellow
eyes cleaning and scintillating, the
white spots on their breasts offering a
splendid target if had cared to shoot
at once. They were fine, sleek animals
with glossy coats, far more imposing
in looks, and much larger than the
panther of the East and South, and l
was anxious to bag both of them, which
l thought might make sure of doing
if they attacked my bait, as l might
easily bore them both with a single
shot from my Winchester if they got in
range.
They hesitated but an instant, few
seconds rather, then leaped the chan
mel of the stream with catlike jumps,
and approached the elk which they
cautiously shifted with pointed noses.
lrejoiced at the prospect of securing
two such magnificent cats.
''One of them. the larger and male,
came up TO the,bait first, snuffed it over,
licked the fresh blood about the neck,
then with a sudden proprietary air he
mounted the carcass with his forefeet,
gave satisfied purr, that sounded like
the mufled drumming of a partridge's
wings. and switching his tail about
with swapping motion at the end,
just as a cat with fresh-caught mouse
in her paws might have done.
''The female took her turn at licking
the bloody neck, and snarled her cat
pleasure at the prospect of gratuitous
feast. They did not seem to be in the
least hungry for they made no move to-
ward devouring, but after snufing and
examining the game for bit. they sat
about scratching leaves and dirt over
it, with the evident intention of pre-
serving or hiding it for future use.
Thinking my time had now come,
| shifted my position carefully, and
brought my gun to bear upon them,
waiting only for an opportunity to
make one bullet kill or cripple them
both, as feared that the unhurt one
would get out of sight before l could
get fair shot at it.
Suddenly, the big one threw him
self upon the elk with harsh snarl,
his hair raising on end, his ears laid
back. and his tail twitching viciously
as he lay at full length, his head turned
away from me, evidently watching
some object down the canyon. The
female too advanced nearly beside him.
her hair sticking out like bristles,
and her angry snarling was deeper and
more threatening than his.
"At first could see nothing of the
against which this fierce
was launched, but l more
than suspected it's nature, and nv
excitement rose. Either another lion
Or bear was approaching, felt GER
tain, and SO it proved; it was a grizzly,
and one of the largest l had ever
seen!
"He reared himself suddenly out of
'he bed of the little stream, only a few
Yards from the lions, and the elk. He
1ad been travelling up the bed of the
bears often do in shallow
stream and attracted by the snarls
)f the lions who had heard him COM
ng had emerged to see what the fuss
vas about.
TO my delight he took in the situ-
ltion at glance, and without min
ties hesitation he shambled toward |
he belligerent cats, mingling his
loarse growls with their savage snarl-
ngs.
81 had heard that the mountain lion
would not run from grizzly, but did |
lot believe it, and despite the fearful
threatening of the two before me, l |
to see them give way as the
bear came up. Imagine
ny astonishment when as the grizzly
.harged within leaping distance, both
# the panthers sprang upon him In
family.
Il could not properly describe the
Gene which followed; both brutes
'ounced upon the grizzly tooth and
lail, and closed with him in such
ury of savage outcries as made my
lair rise, and my whole body prickle
With intense excitement.