The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-12-19
TORE THEMfFO PIECES
AWFUL FIGHT s4kEsNHounDs
AND t/oNs.
M.sniaeen, coars Of inc King Of
Bcasss---Be,ng odtnambsssd They Died
as Bravely A. They Lissd.-'Aa Adsrn-
ture La Old Mexieo.

ture LA Old Mexiso.
There had been great excitement
among the ranchmcn 0f the Sierra
Madrc. Mexico, for some weeks over the
depredations committed upon their
floclss 81 sheep and hcards Of cattle by
some beast OF prey. What this iubber
was, no one could say with any exact
ness. for. uniting au extraordinary de
gree OF cunning with great speed OF
foot, the rogue Invariably managed To
cludc all pursuit Morning after morn
ing some hcrdcr would report "a COW,
calf or sheep done TO death with a cruel
wound in it's throat from which the as-
Snssin had drained its warm lifeS blood.
Hut the dead carcass WAS all that re
manned TO tell the story OF the coming
and going OF the spoiler, for no shadow
left less trace of It's presence.
This enemy Of their herds was all tho
more feared by the cattleman, as there
was no guessing where the next victim
was 10 Toe found, for with incredible
rapidity ~ movement the animal seemed
To scour tho country for miles in every
direction. seeking withall the fastidioiiS-
ness OF a true epicurc the tendcrcst
lambs aud choicest brand of cattle.
The herds themselves seemed TO know
that some foe lurked near, and at uight
would huddle together as II for mutual
protection.
Az last matters reached a climax
when the fine imported Durham COW.
with long pedigree. OF ono of the
wealthy stoelS-owncrs OF the vicinity
strayed away from her comfortable
stall, and. with the curiosity Of her sex.
was investigating the country whcr
She was set upon 10y the mysterious
beasts OF prey. She was found literally
torn TO pieces ano IL was evident that
the COW. Young ono. had cndcavorcd
20 make some fight for her life, FOE her
horns were stained with blood. and .
trail Of blood leading TO snail
thiclSet close at hand Indicated
that the animal that had killed
her had not escaped without wound
IL had been believed from the first
that the deprcdator had made it's de.
scent from the mountains. To which IL
would return after each orgy. and. on
bloodhounds being sent for and placed
on the trail the dogs led NJ once to-
ward the rugged peaks that frown
down on this fair valley, says a Galcnn
tMexico) correspondent in the Philadcl-
pha Times The bloodStains ceased
with the thicket, SO IL was concluded
that the animal had not been very
severely wounded, and no further traces
OF It's paSSage were visible in the open
country, though the dogs showed no
hesitation on the trail The hunting
party numbered nearly dozen and was
composed Of local Nimrods. who scented
fine sport on the occasion. and
stockmen, each OF whom had the
loss of one or more line bloodcd sheep
or cows 10 avengc
After some ten or twelve miles OF
steady travel. facing the chill mountain
that frosted the air and spnrrcd the
wiry little Mexican ponies into "A brisk
trot, the party reached the little stream
Of Rio Naniiquipa. where the dogs
paused. Here they sscmrd puzzled at
some sudden turn the trail had taken,
| for they ran here aud there for some
minutes, finally breaking away up the
river hut after n run 81 a hundred
feet or 40 thr old Chihuahua hound
Miguel made stand, aud then. with
n warming cry 10 his mates.
turned and speed bnck 10 where
the hunters waited. The pack followed
| him though with some hesitation. I'M
til. pressing him close as he went leap
| ing from ono 20 the other Of the step
pinR-stones that crossed the stream,
! they seemed all at once 10 understand
/ his mancuvcrs and lcapcd forward up
the shelving bank with q joyful cry OF
certainty old Migucl's master, an
| aged Mexican, by name Leander, ex-
! planned that the dogs had here struck
! the trail of some other animal that had
come down the river 10 drink at that
spot. IL had he thought, Joined the one
they sought, and the two had struck
out together for the mountains. With
renewed interest the hunters walked
their horses across the shallow stream
and followed tho dogs. which were now
only dark spccks on the golden sands
that washed the foot Of the grim and
mighty Sierra.
The dogs were observed after awhile
10 gather about clunp Of cactus
plants that marked the first rise of tho
mountains proper. then 20 go ON and
finally disappear behind mass uf fallen
powders. At this the party urged on
their ponies, as IL was evident that the
game was near at hand. old lcaDder
at the clump OF cactus dismountcd. and
after n brief examination of the dis.
0aeY, fs2