Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-05-20
UP THE FURROW.
A Fierce and Hungry Wild Beast stalking
Man

ffcfee ana Hungry Wild Beast stalking
Man.
The half breed and | had been away
from camp for several hours leaving
only Sam. the colored man. there. and
were returning by the mountain trail.
The last bend in this trail was seventy
or eighty rods to the west Of our
camp and about 200 feet above it re-
lates a writer in the New York Sun,
and We instinctively paused for a look.
There were the two tents. the
horses and mules picketed beyond a
smolderiug camp fire. the negro lying
on the broad of his back with his head
toward us 1t was 3 o'clock in the
afternoon of a summers day. Sam
was apparently doing, for it seemed
an effort for him to raise hand to
brush away the flies which persisted
in settling on his face.
We were about TO go on. when Joe
suddenly caught his breath and
grasped my arm and pointed to a spot
about halt way between the base on
the bluff and the camp. There was a
sort of natural drain or furrcw run
ming along the earth. deepening in
our direction. and here and there was
a bunch OF weeds to prove littk
dampness. The grass was greener.
too but not high enough to shelter
rabbit
1t was half q minute before | could
make out the cause Of Joe's alarm.
Then my eyes rested on a full-grown
mountain lion working his way up
that furrow. He had already accom-
plished half the distance. and just at
that moment lifted himself almost
erect to take peep at the negro.
Let us cry out and warn him." l
whispered.
ut is too late" replied Joe. Should
be get up the beast would be upon
him in nash,'
Then shoot"
ut is too far!'
You have seen q hunter stalking
game but here was fierce and hungry
wild beast stalking defenceless man.
The scene was as plain and clear be-
fore us as il the distance was only a
stones throw. After the first few
words we were silent After the first
move to use our rifles we simply
waited. We certainly intended to do
something, but-wait! See.
TWAS sight ever to be remembered
to watch that lion making his way up
the furrow. He advanced foot by
foot. He fattened out until you would
have thought him skin spread out
TO be cured, and he dragged himself
along the earth. You knew he moved.
but you saw no motion except that of
his tail. Moving ahead or lying quiet
the tail switched back and forth with
scarcely seconds interval About
every minute one of the Negroes hands
was lazily raised and waved across
his face. When this happened, the
lion, who could plainly see the black
paw sweep the air. settled down as il
to spring. In the intervals he crept
forward.
We stood there like men OF stone
and saw the distance decrease foot by
foot. The lion had yet hundred
feet TO creep when the mustang, feeding
at least 800 feet from the other edge
OF the camp raised his head and
snuffed the air. The scent of the lion
had como down TO him. He must
have seen us. as we stood out in plain
view, but he did not whinny as both OF
us feared he would Half a minute
later Joe pony also got the scent
and started off at fast walk. The
lion remained as quiet as il dead for a
full minute, waiting to see If the
movement of the horses would arouse
the man. 1t did not. Sam had
grown more drowsy. and his hand
was raised at longer intervals. Now
the tufted tail waves too and fro
again. and now the distance is again
decreased. Foot by foot and have
forgotten everything else on earth in
watching the progress. Now it is
sixty feet-now fifty-now forty-now
the lion has settled down for a lean
which will land him on the body oil
the sleeping man. when l hear the
crack of a rifle. see the beast rear uu
and fall backward and struggle. and
sit down with shaking knees and pal
plating heart 1t was Joe who fired
the shot from his d-fashioned. long
barrellel rife He had only the
faintest hope but it was dead shot
the bullet entering the back of the
head.
The beast died hard. His limbs
were yet twitching as we reached the
spot Never had hunter in the West
seen larger lion. He had the
strength to pull down buffalo bull.
The negro? We found him sound
asleep. OF course.