The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-01-04
Continued from page !,

the DESTROYING beast. / was fortunate
enough to kill six before the guiue anu
hunters appeared upon the scene-a leaf Oh
which was quite proud.
"My Indian guide returned ABOUT hoon'
bringing his Indian friend Cotantln, with
three more experienced hunters, and SIX
dope muzzled and In leash. Cotantin was
small. wiry man, straight as needle, with
let black ewes, and a rather bright, lntelll-
cent countenance. He seemed to be in the
very prime of life, and his compact, slnewy
limbs were free from all restraint, his only
costume being strip of green cloth ABOUT
The loins. and band of feathers around his
head A bow and shsaf OF arrows, long
smear and knife, were his hunting nipple
ments.
"He made no use of firearms, consider
ing them too noisy. His companions were
armed and dressed like himself, but two OF
them carried each lariat and large
sheepskn with the wool on. What this lat
ter was for, / could not imagine then, but
had chance to see it used before night. ~
"As hunters and dogsWere all eager for
the sport to begin, the sagacious brutes
were led to the spot where the jaguar had
made his midnight feast and were then set
free. OF course the scent was strong, and
with many a wild, joyful bark, yelp and
howl, away they went pell-mell, and the
hunters after them, leaving me alone with
Ichura, my faithful guide. l fastened to
mount my mule, in order to follow them as
best could, but my guide assured me there
would be no need of my departure for some
time, as the dogs, getting bothered with the
different scents, would play around IN
circle before leading off, and even then it
was more than likely they would not have
to go far to find the gorged beast of which
they were in quest. sSH.-~~
"Ichura was right For half an hour !
heard the yelping Of the dogs, first in one
direction and then another, but none Of
them appearing to be at any considerable
distance, though gradually charging the
area of their explorations. -
AT length there came those peculiar
cries which assured the experienced hunter
that his canine assistants had struck
sure scent, and clappng his hands with de-
light, my guide exclaimed: "~Ss
"'There they go, master! there they 60!
and now it may be we shall get early
news Of the mule-killing rascal. Come on
now, master follow me as fast as you cam
"Can the dogs do any thing toward mas
tering such ferocious beastP inquired l,
as spurred my mule on after the quick
footed guide. s-~-.-s->s ~-sS
GO No, master; they can only track him up
to his tree or hole, and then it remains for
the hunters to make an end of him. 49,
"Fora time the dogs gained on us so much
that feared they would get away from us
entirely; but after pushing on for an hour,
making the best speed could through the
thick wood, heard them louder than ever
away to our right. ~S"-
"I think they have him at last said
4 Ichura. :,
"Another quarter of an hour, during
which we all the time seemed to be get
ting nearer to them, and then suddenly,
on rising q small hill, we saw them frisking
about ledge, some half way down on the
opposite side, with the Indians quietly
standing back, apparently awaiting our ar
rival. - .-nsss's
"On our joining them, Cotantin informed
my guide, who also acted as interpreter be-
tween myself and the Indians, that. the
jaguar had entered hole among the rocks,
and that now the white senior would have
an opportunity Of witnessing display OF
Indian bravery in assailing the ferocious
beast in his den. ~S
GO And how will he attack him thereP in
CURED 1.
90 He intends to enter and spear him to
death replied Ichura, proudly.
~ had heard something of this before I;
but when saw it about to be put in prac-
tice, and considered the strength and agility
and ferceness of the animal, l could not
avoid q shudder at the awful fate that
seemed impending over the daring advent
urer. Even while the guide was speaking,
Cotantin himself began to prepare for the
terrible contest Putting aside his crown
of feathers, his bow and culver, wrapping
one of the sheepskins about his leftarm and
firmly grasping his spear in his right hand,
he walked boldly up to the mouth of the
dark pit or hole, spoke few words to his
companions, who formed themselves in de.
fensve attitudes around the entrance, and
then dropping down on his hands and
knees, gradually disappeared.
"For some two or three minutes there
was a dead and ominous silence, every one
seeming to listen with suspended breath
and then we heard the low, sullen growls oil
the beast ,gradually growing fercer and loud
er, till at length they burst out into wild
angry roar. This was instantly followed
by several piercing human yells or shrieks
commingled with the short, sharp, snarline
growls Of q savage beast in actual combat
and by thrashing, scufllng sound, as Of
two bodies fercely contending. This lasted
for perhaps minute, during which my
very hair seemed to stand on end, and Their
came gurgling, gasping groan, human
yell, and all grew still as death, which be-
lieved was there in its most bloody and re
pulsive aspect. ~~w - y -
zone of Cotantin's companions nov
quickly disappeared in the dark opening
and presently returned. carefully drawing
out the bloody form of the hunter, whom a
first / believed to be one mass of manglet
flesh. But such was not the case. Though
frightfully lacerated in two or three places
the gallant fellow was neither dead no
MORALLY wounded. and in the course of fif