St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-15
IN CLOSE QUARTERS.
A Fight With a Maddened
Puma, and How 1t Re-
suited.
An Indians Desperate Strug-
gle With a Furious Black
Bear.
Two Pachyderms Brought
Down at Two Successive
Shots in Ceylon.
The Bears of AlaSka--Mode of
Hunting That Requires
Nerve.
Corban (Neb.) Correspondence.

For some weeks past the StOckmen
about here have complained of the mys-
terious disappearance of a fat sheep or
young calf every night or two. but
though 1T was soon proved to be the
work of some prowling wild beast, the
creature very cunningly managed to
keep out of the way when sought for.
At last herder employed on the Bessie
Cole ranch, lying six miles from town,
surprised an animal which, from its de-
Scrlptlon, was pronounced by an old
hunter to be q puma, in the act of car
rying Off lamb. The man discharged
pistol at the robber, but it ran off at
such speed that he was unable to dis
cover whether he had wounded it or
not. On learning what the thief was
party of hunters set out next day to
look for the marauder, but could dis
cover no trace of the animal beyond
here and there the bloody carcass of
sheep or calf or sucking pig from
which the choicest morsels had been de-
yOured and the rest left with the reck-
lesSneSs of an epicure that knows there
is plenty lett where that came from.
The party of NimrodS were return ing
home, and had just entered the little
wood known as Hardemann's, when one
of the dogs that had been snuffing about
began barking furiously at something
creuchlng close under thicket of weep
ing mountain ash. The NimrodS rode
UP and lcouraged the dogs to fetch
the animal out; but, though they went
IN rapidly, they came out with greater
alacrity. Knowing that the creature
must be indeed formidable to make the
dogs afraid to tackle it, the hunters
fired together, but with no other result
than fierce growing. 1t was so near
dark that it was difficult to make out the
exact whereabouts OF the animal, but.
whether it was the puma or not. it was
prize worth having, and at last Robert
Berthe, the owner of the Creek ranch,
volunteered to go in after it. He dis
mounted. and, gun in hand and with a
stout knife in his belt. entered the
thicket, which was very dense, Oh all
tours.
In a few minutes his companions
heard the pistol fired several times in
quick succession, followed by cry for
help. Maj. Arnold and his son Her.
bert, with one impulse, flung them
selves from their horses and plunged
into the thieket, where they were just
able to discern Bertine's PROSTATE form
nearly covered by that of the animal,
which, at their approach, turned his
head and growled ferociously. The
Arnolds, afraid to fire at the creature
for fear of Wounding their friend, at
tackled it with knives. By this time the
rest Of the party had reached the scene
OF the combat, which was a small clear
ing about six feet square in the heart of
the thicket, and when the animal, on
being attacked by Maj. Arnold and his
son. sprang up from Bertlne's bo.., it
appeared puzzled as to which of the
five men to honor first with its attention.
1t decided very speedily. however, on
Carl Dow, and with tremendous leap
Sprang toward that gentleman, who
promptly dropped to the ground. while
the auimal shot nearly six feet over his
head. Before it could recover itself a
volley was fired into it, but the cat. evil
IDENTIFY gifted with many lives as its do
INVESTIGATED brother, was still able to
Stagger back to the cleared patch, where
it rolled over apparently in death
agony, and so, coming in contact with
Berthe. who was still insensible,
grabbed his arm in its swapping jaws.
Herbert Arnold here, leaning over the
creature, and guided by Its glowing
eyes, dealt it one terrible blow near the
base of the brain. and released Ber-
tines arm by killing the animal at last.
A light being procured. it was fOnnd
to be splendid male puma, measuring
eleven feet from the long black muZzle
to tip OF the slender tail. 1t was wound
ed in twenty different places, and was
SO hacked with knife cuts that its skin
could not be preserved. The animals
tenaclty of life is considered by its STAY
ers as the most remarkable thing they
ever witnessed. Mr.. Berthe, whose
body was badly ripped by the creatures
claws. and arm broken ny its last grip,
says that the puma was already wound
ed, probably by the herder, who saw it
first, when he came upon it in the
thicket, and sprang upon him as he APP
preached it like mad thi ng, which
pain had evidently rendered it.