The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-09
TWO MOUNTAIN LIONS.
Their Magnificent Courage When
Brought to Bay
They Fight to the Death with Pack Of
BloodhOunds, Backed by Armed
Hunters, and Bravely Meet
Their Doom.

|
among the ranchmen of the valley of
the Sierra Madre for some weeks over
the depredations committed upon their
flocks of sheep and herds of cattle by
some beast of prey. What this robber
was no one could say with any ex-
actness, for, uniting an extraordinary
degree of cunning with great speed of
foot, the rogue invariably managed to
elude all pursuit Morning after
morning some herder would report a
COW, calf or sheep done to death with a
cruel wound in it's throat from which
the assassin had drained its warm
! life's blood. But the dead carcass was
all that remained to tell the story of
the coming and going of the spoiler,
| for no shadow left less trace of its
presence.
This enemy of their herds was all
the more feared by the cattlemen, as
there was no guessing where the next
| victim was to be found, for with in
credible rapidity of movement the ami
NAL seemed to scour the country for
miles in every direction, seeking with
all the fastidiousness of true epicure
the tenderest lambs and choicest brand
of cattle. The herds themselves
| seemed to know that some foe lurked
near, and at night would huddle to-
gether as if for mutual protection.
At last matters reached a climax
when the fine imported Durham COW,
with a long pedigree, of one of the
wealthy stock-owners of the vicinity
strayed away from her comfortable
stall. and, with the curiosity of her
sex, was investigating the country,
when she was set upon by the mysteri-
Gus beast of prey. She was :ound lit
orally torn to pieces, and it was evil
dent that the COW, young one, had en-
deavored to make some fight for her
life, for her horns were stained with
blood, and a trail of blood leading to a
small thicket close at hand indicated
that the animal that had killed her had
not escaped without wound.
It had been believed from the first
that the depredator had made its de-
scent from the mountains, to which it
would return after each orgy, and, on
bloodhounds being sent for and placed
on the trail, the dogs led at once to-
ward the rugged peaks that frown
down on this fair valley. The blood
stains ceased with the thicket, so it
was concluded that the animal had not
been very severely wounded, and no
further traces of its passage were visi-
bic in the open country, though the
dogs showed no hesitation on the trail.
Aa-
dozen and was composed of local MINI
rods, who scented fine sport on the oc-
casion. and stockmen, each of whom
had the loss of one or more fine blood
ed sheep or cows to avenge.
After some ten or twelve miles Of
steady travel, facing the chill noun
tain that frosted the air and spurred
the why little Mexican ponies into a
brisk trot, the party reached the little
station of Rio Namiquipa, where the
dogs paused. Here they seemed
puzzled at some sudden turn the trail
had taken, for they ran here and there
for some minutes, finally breaking
away up the river. But after run OF
hundred feet or so the old Chihuahua
hound Miguel made stand. and then,
with a warning cry to his mates,
turned and sped back to where the |
hunters waited The pack followed /
him. though with some hesitation, IN
I'll, pressing him close as he went /
leaping from one to the other of the 4
stepping stones that crossed the /
stream, they seemed all at once to un. /
derstand his maueuversand leaped for !
ward up the shelving bank with joy. /
full cry OF certainty. Old Miguels /
master, an aged Mexican, by name
Leander, explained that the dogs had
here struck the trail of some other
animal that had come down the river
to drink at that spot He had. he
thought. Joined the one they sought
and the two had struck out together
Tor the mountains With renewed in
terest the hunters walked their horses
across the shallow stream and followed
the dogs, which were now only dark
specks on the golden sands that
washed the foot of the grim and mighty
Sierra
The dogs were observed after awhile
to gather about a clump Of cactus
plants that marked the first rise Of the
proper, then to go on and /
finally disappear behind a mass OF
fallen bow ders. At this the party
urged on their ponies, as II was
evident that the game was near az
hand Old Leander at the clump OF |
catcus dismounted, and after a brief
examination of the disturbed sand de-
ciared at this place the wounded AMI
ma had lain down to rest while the
other, probably its mate, had stood
by. As the hunters paused here the
loud barking of the dogs was heard al
some little distance, SO clapping spsrs
TO the ponies the party went forward
AZ gallop.
The hounds were found 10 have
gathered about a small heap of earth
and stones, on which stood an enor-
nous mountain lion defying them
with blazing eyes and waving tufted
tail he was . magnificent male. with
tawny skin marked with velvety black.
11---s-:ag as fa4 Of pride as $cy monarch