The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-18
AGILE CATAMOUNTS.
Some Adventures Related BY An
Old Guide.
THE SCREAM or THE PANTHER.
Deer Chased BY One ~ the Old Csss-Nes
Mach Danger In Hunting Then
In the AdIrondaeks.
P,asssbarx Republican.

always just ready to spring on the lucky or
unlucky hunter just Is he pulls the trigger.
carrying the idea that catamount is a
very dangerous animal TO meet NY ex-
perience with them gives me Q different
idea think they are perfectly harmless
II they have not been wounded aud there
Is any chance for them to get away. Per-
haps my experience has been with those
that could get enough to eat without dis
turbing man. When first went 70 North
Eiba, In 1851. catamounts, bears. and
wolves were very plenty. The settlers had
to yard their sheep and young cattle close
to the house every night to save them
from being killed by them. They would
have bell on some Of them so that if they
were disturbed the people would hear it.
My first experience with Q catamount
was in 1852. was boarding with Nelson
Blinn. three or four year-old settler in
North Elba. Early in the fail there came
light snow. Mr.. Blinn said that it was .
grand time to 60 out and get some veni-
son. knew nothing about hunting deer
or their ways. ! rugged myself up with q
white hat and white shirt lover my other
clothes). started up south toward Indian
Pass. l saw plenty of deer tracks, but
they seemed to be on the run; then saw
wolves tracks. / knew then the cause of
the deer being on the run. went on
south, thinking that if / got outside where
the deer were frightened, perhaps I would
sec one. had not gone far when / saw a
fresh panther track. Not being used to
that kind of game. l thought best to let
him alone and look after deer. l kept on
my course, found plenty of deer signs. but
thar ali ~nov, cd IN l~n IN he
When 1t was time to go home thought
/ would take my track back, as it would be
about a. straight as any course, as / was in
. strange woods. l had not gone far be-
fore / saw Q panther track. He had
crossed mine A little way further on
saw he had crossed it again. began to
think perhaps that old cat Gas the settlers
there called them) was looking after me. /
hurried on foi . miie or SO, when came to
where the snow was all trod down and
bloody. There was nothing but deer hair
and wolves tracks to tell what had hap
pened since went along in the morning.
l hurried on, for / did not know
within . mile or so of the clearing
it began to grow dark. Then l
heard one Of the most unearthly screams;
right, in the tops OF the trees. 1t started
my hat up some, but 1t did not fall OF. /
did not care for him as long Is IL was day
light After dark I did not know how
familiar he might get. He followed to the
edge of the woods. keeping about the same
distance from me, and every little while he
would cheer me on with one of those yells.
When got in sightof the house Mr.. Blinn
was at the door looking for me. He said
he thought that was coming, for he had
heard that old cat his half hour. I have
had them follow me since in the same way,
and have heard others tell of similar ex-
perience with them, but I never heard OF
any one being hurt by them at such times.
never heard of bat one man being hurt
by catamount in the Adirondack woods.
That was a man by the name of ST. Ger
main. He lived on the carry between Big
Clear Pond and the st. Regis waters. lie
went out to hunt deer. and ~ he did not
come home that night, the next morning
party started after him. There was snow
on the ground. They found him dead,
killed by catamount He was torn and
bitten, but not eaten, which shows that the
cat was not hungry. From appearances
he had shot at and wounded the panther;
then thought he could finish him with his
hunting knife, his gun being empty.
His knife was out of its sheath on the
ground There was not much said about
il at the time. for 1t was so near Paul
Smiths they thought ii might brighten city
people. In 1855 there were nine trapped
and killed within ten miles OF North Elba.
Since then there have been but few seen or
killed within ten miles of North Elba.
In two instances have run on to q csta-
mount when he was crouched down on the
path was travelling in. They did not stir
till / got within fifty feet of them; then
they jumped up and gave one of those
screeches that nothing but cata mount
can give. and left me. ltwas between sun
down and dark in both instances One OF
the catamounts was in path at the foot OF
Bennett pond tnow Mirror lakeD- He was
watching for deer when they came 10 the
water think he was the same one j. V.
Nash caught in trap that same year.
They always give two or three screams
when they leave you have talked with
Michael Sebatiis. the Indian guide and
hunter of Long Lake, who probably has
killed more catamounts in the Adiron-
dacks than any other man now living He
Gays there is no more danger in hunting
catamounts than there is in hunting rab-
bits
In 1854, J. v Nash. then the only family
living on the west side OF Bennett Pond.
fnow Mirror Lake, had his sheep yarded
close TO the house. In the night he heard
the bell rafting in the yard. He got up,
went 10 the door and saw what looked like
q man leaning up against the fence II
sunped over; then be knew what il vas.
He always kept his rifle loaded. hanging on
hooks over The door. He reached for bis
rife. and when the catamoant jumped
over the fence on the other side be tired
The next morning one OF his sheep was
missing. He tracked II out 20 where the
Grand View House now stands, and found
what il had not eaten hid in the forks Of 3
tree that had fallen down. and covered
with leaves That was sure sign that he
was coming back after the remainder when
he got hungry. He set trap there. The
next morning he found eatssnounf in il
that measured feet inches from the tip
! OF his nose TO the tip OF hts tail When
i. the trap he did not spring toward Us,
but tried to 20 the other way all The time.
was once up Be. river near Mud lake
with . PARTY coating for deer in the night
/ saw two eyes. which Is oil you can see OF
= deer somesimex. ] made the usual sign
70 my maa and headed my boat to them.
but the man eoald not see it. ] moved Up
till the boat struck bottom. then those eyes
iamped up and gave rs one OF those
screams that nothing bat cssamount can
give. and gave two mose after be got into