Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-22
A FIERCE DUEL.

Savage Battle Between Two Lions Over
the Possession of q Deer.
Lander IVY. IT, speciall
A day or two since the writer accom-
panied Jack Gaylor, better known as
90 Hunter Jack" on deer hunt in the ad-
jacent Wind mountains Leaving Gay
lor's ranch as the cocks crew, the hunters
plunged into the white mists of mount
ain morning A two hours tramp brought
them and the sun to the pine hills which
encircle Table Peak. Here is the range,
par excellence, Of the mountain deer,
both white and black tail. Posting the
writer In the snug cover OF a dense pine
thicket, Gaylor, followed by his two
stanch stag hounds, departed on a circuit
Of the mountain side. Scarcely had he
gone when there came to the ears of the
concealed scribe soft crunching in the
snow. Then followed the swapping of
dry branches, and there stepped from cover
fine, black-tan buck; a quick, sure AIM
keen report, an upward curl Of smoke
and the deer lay dead upon the snow.
Scarcely had the buck fallen when the
whip-like crack of Gaylor's old Kentucky
rifle was borne upon the air and then came
a crashing through the underground and
there dashed forth beautiful doe. The
writer fired quickly as the animal flew by
the stag-hounds, whose Ginning music
awoke melodious echoes far around. Gay
Tor now appeared and said he, too, had
killed fat buck. Taking the trail Of the
dogs and doe, blood was soon discovered.
Following for half mile the body of the
doe was found, with the two stag hounds
Ginning requiem over it. After dressing
the two deer that had fallen by the rifle of
the scribe, the hunters started to do the
same for the buck that Gaylor had killed.
As they drew near the open glade in which
lay the dead deer, wild yell saluted their
ears. This was answered at once by still
wilder shrek in which rage and defiance
seemed equally mingled Gaylor paused
abruptly and said to his companion:
Lions, and the darned critters are arter
that black tail. Let's see the scrim-
mage" Close cover was sought at once
and found in a rocky ledge that overlooked
the scene Of the coming savage duel. As
the hunters gained their covert large,
full-grown lion came out Of the under
growth, and advancing to the deer's body
placed huge paw upon it, as very posi-
tive sign Of ownership. Instantly def
ant yell came from almost directly over
head, and the second lion leaped from the
branches Of large pine, and at ten PAGES
distant glared upon his enemy. A mutual
crouching and tail oscillation followed, and
then the ferocious duelists sprang full at
each other A cloud Of snow and fur, from
which issued savage yells, snarls and
growls, hoated for moment in the air,
and when it cleared away the combatants
appeared as tawny mass, writhing, biting
and rending. AS old Gaylor watched the
savage fight he muttered: "Them's both
old hes, and they will kill each other" In
short time the cries and growls became
less frequent. The tawny mass moved
only convulsively, and when the hunters
approached both duelists were dead. Close
ly locked in grim embrace they lay, each
literally disemboweled. The scribe has a
noble lions skin as token of that ferocious
duel on the mountain slope.