Mower County transcript., 1890-04-23
5baccop No, ! did not in fact it tastes.
bctter than II ever did a,ues @. Plum.
mer, IN Pittsburgh Bulletin.

.bacco2 No, did not lin fact sik taetes
better than II everdi ~ a,ues q. Plum.
mer, IN Pittsburgh Bulletin.
Sd ----------.-------------s--
HUNTING THE PUMA.
Sport which Tries thu Patience @ well
% the Courage OF Hunters.
About eight o'clock :, m. we started
out with Ave dogs In search Of tracks,
not expecting to find moro than cat.
The road was very rough and the snow
deep, but we stayed with it. At first wo
passed nothing but old signs OF deer,
turkey, etc. After travelling about two
miles my friend f., who was in front,
called me to examine q. print in tho
snow. 1t appeared to be that OF steer,
aud, indeed, so 1t was, but on the ips..i..
Of 1t was mountain lion track. This
phenomenon was by no means q new
experience for me, and was not the
least surprised, we'll knowing their
popularity OF following the footsteps
OF other and larger animals, and even Of
human beings. I think it Is done to
oonooal their own retreat, for they
seldom attack full-grown stock, unless
forced to 1t by starvation. Tho track
seemed frosh, and accordingly Spot was
turned loose to see what he could make
OF 1t. I concluded he was somewhat
puzzled by the combination OF scent, az
he shifted about for some minutes be-.
fore going of. When he took In the
situation there was deep bay, and the
dog was gone. The remainder Of the
pack were now unocoupied, and We were
left alone, but not for long; tho snow
being deep, we overlook them. l had
an idea that 1t would be short run and
sspeedy kill, but this was mistake,
although the scent was good He did
not intend to be caught in hurry.
The puma docs not travel fast, but
keeps steadily on the move, thereby
covering considerable space during
the night and early morning. At this
juncture the depth OF snow was no
slight impediment, every now and again
one or the other Of US would wholly or
partially disappear in q drift, and then
scrambling out cause much laughter
and some delay. 1t Is not remarkable,
therefore, that we were soon reduced to
q walk, and slow ono at that; never
theless, we were consoled by the thought
that our game was as good as killed.
The dogs could be heard in the dis.
tanoe, 80 we toiled away until we came
to canyon with very deep sides. Our
descent was slow and tedious, for . fall
here would have been attended with .
considerable risk to life and limb.
On reaching the foot of the hill auotl!-
or check awaited us. The dogs were out
of hearing, and the tracks had to b.
found; this done we gained the mesa
and made up for lost time by trottin.
about half . mile, which brought US I,
another canyon. somewhat similar "a
the one we had 80 recently left. Tne
baying of the dogs became palmer as we
descended, and there was now no room
for doubt that the lion had taken l., q
tree somewhere near the bottom. put
my best leg forward and succeeded in
arriving somewhat ahead of the others.
When about sixty or seventy yards from
the dogs pulled up to look about me.
The hounds were all running round in
great excitement but no lion could
see. for he was carefully hid behind a
limb. However, he saw me and, jumped
out, causing brief tampede among the
younger dogs. He was soon gone out OF
sight, but so closely attended by the
pack that after jogging along for quar-
tor Of q mile he was again persuaded to
take refuge from his tormenters. This
time he was in full view, lying full
length along the limb Of cedar and
smiling sweetly at the infuriated
hounds. When about thirty yards of I
took advantage OF the broadside offered
and fired; E. and c., who were On either
side, fred about the same time, and ho
rolled of his perch. A few convulsive
struggles and all was over. the three
bullets having taken effect.
He was large malo, measuring nine
feet from the tip of the nose to the tip
of the tail. On the following day sent
burro to pack him back to camp, q duty
which our faithful servant was extreme
ly loath to perform; in fact, 1t became
necessary to blind and tie Master Ned
before he would consent to the burden.
Forest and Stream.