The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-25
TORN BY AN AMERICAN LION.
A Thrilling Story of Hair-Ereadth Els
cane in the Mountains of Idaho

4 Thr1l1nR story or da1r-Ereadth ES-
cape in the Mountains of Idaho.
The Natural History club of Challis,
Idaho, has been presented with a finely
mounted specimen Of puma, or American
lion, by Christopher Davidson, who killed
the animal recently in the Salmon river
mountains, which lie some miles east Of that
place. According to a Challis correspond
emit of the Globe Democrat it is a magnin-
cent male, measuring nearly two aud one
| half feet from the muZzle to the tip Of the
long, cat-like tail, with the jaws drawn
back over the keen, sharp teeth in a snarl
that still Treaties tiance to its foes.
| David ION, who is the owner Of one of the
largest stock raising ranches of this vicinity,
relating the adventure in which he killed
| the puma, says:
My fine blooded mare, Jennie Mcneil.
| broke out fr, N her stable one night last
month with her 6-weeks-old colt, and by
| morning, had wandered beyond the outer
most limits Of my place. which / have not
yet completely fenced in. On discovering
her absence / started my help at once in
every direction 10 search for her, and my
self went on horseback toward the noun
| talns. Obeying an instinct of habit more
THAI anything else, took my gun and
revolver with me, though l anticipated no
occasion for their use. But had not gone
far when l saw something that made me
very grateful to the chance that had sent
me off armed.
There had been light, slow rain late
the afternoon before and the ground was
still moist, though not muddy from it, and
on the spots where the grass was scant /
could see the prints of the mares and colts
hoofs, and after awhile | noticed the faint
marks of some soft-padded foot close upon
the others. ! felt certain that this meant
my horses had on their track an enormous
wildcat or else puma, though these latter
animals have been rarely seen Of late years,
and hurried on. for | knew these noun
tain lions are particularly partial to the
tender flesh of a colt and make very little
ado about attacking a grown horse when
hungry or enraged.
PUMA AND HORSE FIGHT.
"The tracks were still 50 fresh that
hoped to catch up with the mare and her
colt before their stealthy foe attacked
them, and by riding hard | came in sight of
them just as they reached Salt Spring Val
ley. The mare was trotting along " it'll her
head in the air and ears thrown forward,
making an uneasy sort Of noise, and snuff
ing as If she scented the hiding puma, and
every now and then she'd stop to wait for
the colt, that came hmping after her as if it
was fag ged ont and could not keep up.
saw nothing of the lion on entering the val
ley, but in few moments movement in
the tall grass, just in front of a clump of
trees, and about twenty feet to the left of
the colt, caused me to suspect that he was
there.
$50, waiting until l caught glimpse of a
tawny head and slowly waving tail, /
lired straight at the animal. missed him,
however, for his slender but powerful body
was already in the air, springing toward
the colt, which, borne down by the shock,
fell, with the puma on his back The poor
creature gave plteous cry, and the mare
began to revolve about the two like a mad
creature, evidently fearing to come TO the
colts assistance with her heels for fear of
striking it also.
Il Jumped from my horse, and, running
up to the spot, drew my revolver and fired
close TO the ear of the puma, but as pulled
the trigger it turned its head, snarling
Vlclously, though without releasing its hold
on the colt, and the bullet failed to inflict a
wound in the vital part, but, CHANGING, tore
long cash along the neck. At this the lion
sprang up, and with yell of fury threw it
self upon me with gaping mouth and curved
claws. fired again and hit the creature
somewhere in the body with no apparent
effect, though the blood flowed freely, for
he seized my arm in his teeth, and, but for
the thick buckskin jacket | wore, would
have beyond doubt torn my arm to pieces.
Even as it was, the flesh was fearfullv
gripped and bruised; but. fortunately, it
was my left arm, SO with my right hand
caught the luna by the throat and, exert
ing all my strength, | succeeded in choking
him so that he relaxed his hold on my arm.
II had dropped my pistol in order to grasp
the anlmaPs throat, but picked it up now,
and with the butt struck the still gasping
puma a blow as powerful as | was capable
OF just between the eyes. 1t stunned him,
and for a moment he lay so motionless that
thought he was dead, and overioyed not
only at coming off with my life in such a
desperate fight, but in the possession Of SO
splendid trophy of my proves, 1 incau-
tiously bent over the PROSTATE body to ex-
anime it. But | had congratulated myself
on victory not yet won, for taking me off
guard, the puma recovering itself in a mo-
ment, as it were, made a spring at me, and
completely upsetting my equilibrium by the
suddenness of the attack, we fell heavily to
the EARTH
The lion, crushing my right arm with
its weight. ana the left so stiff and bruised
that | could scarcely lift it, was at the
mercy OF my desperate foe, who buried his
great head under my throat. gave my
self up FOR lost, as the hot breath of he
dripping mouth touched me, and waited for
the sharp. cruel teeth to tear my flesh,
when the bloodshot eyes grew g assy, the
long, sleek body quive ed convulslvely all
along Its length, and, with low whimper,
the puma rolled off me dead. The pistol
shot in his body, which had deemed with
out effect, had done its work at last, and
though the desperation of the lion had
enabled him to fight death off for awhile, it
had conquered just in time to save me.
II had to go home for wagon to take nv
colt back, for both his forelegs we're broken
aud It's back torn considerably by tue puma's
claws, though it ultimately recovered. The
lion went home in the same wagon, much to
the alarm of b tn the colt aud mare. |
could not help feeling amused at the mare,
though, for she seemed to understand the
trouble and danger her escapade had caused
and her endeavors to show me her repent
ance and desire for reconciliation evinced an
intelligence perfectly remarkable"