Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-12-11


were off by daylight quite enjoying the
COOL crisp morning air.
The water prospect was known as tur'
nishing plenty of water in wet seasons,
but no observations had been made 1or a
drv season, such as the present oppor'
tunitv afforded. 1t was located well up q
steep and deep guch of granite rock with
steep slopes, Twelve miles away, and ap,
preached the last mile on loot by an OLD
Indian trail winding along the steep
mountain side, around great bonlders ana
over sldeling rocks and j1mp-ofis. In
short, up and down and over an exceed
ingly rough trail with uncertain 1ootlne
much of the way.
MUD, FLATS AND ALKAH.
Picketing our horses in good grass we
commenced the final ascent. An item OF
note was the peculiar outlook from the
mountain side of the plains stretching OIL
| TO the south and east. The foreground OF
the latter for the first few miles along the
base of the mountain was covered with
gramma grass in state of nature abun-
dant and untouched; with water it would
have been an ideal range. Beyond the
flats, which with the exception OF scatter
ing mesquit brush, was as barren OF vege-
tation as the hide of Chihuahua pup Is
of hair in the back ground, until lost III
the horizon, were alkali flats, white and
dazzling in the bright sun; arid enough,
certainly, beyond the foot hills,
A MOUNTAIN LION CAPTURES A DEER.
Descending the approach to the water
prospect, where there was little water
standing in natural basins in the rock,
and when within easy rifle shot, what
should appear to our right, but noun
tain | Oh crouchiug and crawling cat-like
for game, not yet in sight, and too IN
tensey preucCupled to notice our presence.
We at once quietly took position behind
some rocks, and MS matter OF precautlon
with rihes ready for dead shot, awaited
developments. Soon large buck, un-
suspecling his enemy, merged from be-
hind cottonwood tree, still green and
fresh, and, presto, the lion sprang upon
It's prey, seizing it by the neck and back
with teeth and claws. Almost IN the
same instant came cry of agony and
some lively jumping. Down they tloun-
dered, over they rolled, the buck gaining
his legs, staggers to the edge OF fall in
the canon about twenty feet III height and
over they both tumble, for the first time
the lion losing his hold but only to again
seize new one, this time by the throat.
The struggle is renewed and continues
possibly for three minutes longer, and the
deer weakens and fails to rise again. 1t
is manifest that the lion has made good
his capture.
A BRACE OF BIG GAME.
Our business now was to capture both.
A we'll directed ball from my Winchester
through the center of the brain OF the
lion paralizes him and he loosens his hold
on the buck and settles to the ground
limp as rag. short struggle and a
second shot makes certain the capture OF
the wiley game and both lion and deer lay
side by side in death, trophies at our feet
of rare and most exciting incident in
hunting experience. Securing the skin
of the lion, which measured seven feet
three inches between tips of nose and
tail, and and removing the entralls OF the
deer and both were ready for the pack
animals.
AN UNPRoMIsING PROSPECT.
The prospect was examined and found
not only expensive to pipe out in reach OF
grass, but failure in dry weather, except
at great expense for development, in gran
ite rock, and then quite uncertain as to
the volume of water as the outcome.
Not so unpromislng with our game. BY
dint of little hard work the carcass OF
was carried out, which, with the
pelt of the mountain lion, not to mention
the exciting battle scene, afforded ample
for the days work.
AFAT DOE FOR BREAKFAST.
We returned to the miners cabin Tor
the night and to close out the trip with
satisfaction, the next morn
ing while at breakfast l shot a fat doe
which had come in for water.
THANKSGIVING DINNER.
Thanksgiving dinner in our cow camp
was graced with superb roast from the
buck, and partaken Of beneath the shad-
ow of the mountain lion skin and bucks
antlers, which hal been placed as dec
3ration upon the cabin walls.
MORTALITY OF THE RANGE.
1t may be of interest to your readers if
add that during the past four months
have had occasion to visit most of the
country along and adjacent to the Rio
Irande valley south of Albuquerque and
t is more than manifest to me that gen.
orally it is largely overstocked and that
he mortality among cattle the coming
winter will be precedented. From what
learn from cattemen from various sec
ions, the same is true of the whole of
central and southern New Mexico.