The herald., 1894-09-03
A MOUNTAIN LION FIGHT.
HOW AN ANGELENO CAME NEAR
BEING KILLED.
A City Employee Who Does Not Care to
Hunt Big Game Again.
Story OF the En-
c0unter.

Away up in the Santiago csfion Nine.
Modieaks has pretty home-one OF the
most romantic spots in Orange county.
This wild retreat 10 reached by stage
from the station at Ell Toro on the
Southern California railroad.
After leaving the station beautiful
ride OF ten miles finds one in the fast
nesses OF the mountains. Game of all
kinds abounds here, and many's the
time Count Bozenta and sons, as we'll as
the famous Polish actress, have played
the part of Nimrods and imagined them
selves in the undulating steppes OF their
native land. hunting the deer and other
game.
Hunting parties are numerous in this
noted region, and many 60 there to get q
glimpse of the countess sylvan retreat
aa well as to hunt. Leaving Nine. Mod
jeska's home and pushing back into the
mountains. big game is found. Deer are
plentiful, and not few bear, mountain
lions and wildcats are found.
A Los Angeles hunter had an exciting
experience in this mountainous section
last Friday. The gentleman who is the
hero Of the episode is w. It. Bush, an
employee of the street department, and
a brother in law OF Officer Ben Robbins
OF the police force. Bush left the party
at the camp early that morning and
started out in the hope of bagging a
deer before breakfast. He thought it
would be great thing to shoot deer
almost in sight of Modjesks's home, and
intended surprising the boys who were
left at camp to prepare breakfast.
He followed long. deep chasm, called
Sycamore canon, and after walking for a
mile without getting sight of game. and
having become nearly tagged out in
crawling under and over the heavy man
zanita and Mesquite bushes, he sat
down to rest. The gray morning dawn
was just giving way to day break, and it
was not easy to distinguish objects at q
great distance. As Bush sat thinking
in this lonely spot. with high rock walls
rising abruptly on either side OF him,
he thought he heard the cracking of
bushes far up the cafion's side. In an
other instant q most unearthlv yell
broke the silence and fllad Bush with q
sense OF horror. He turned around in
time to see huge mountain lion spring
from an immense rock and leap toward
him.
Bueh thought of home and loved
ones, and imagined that ne could al
most feel the giant beast'o teeth crush
ing his very bones. A thousand things
flashed through his mind in an instant.
His companions were mile away, and
could never hear his cries for help in
case his trusty Winchester failed to do
its work.
1t had grown brighter as the morning
sunlight cast shadows on the cafion's
wall. and things could be more easily
distinguished. Bush looked this rife,
then OF the lion as it seemed to increase
it's speed toward him. He had not yet
raised up, but when the animal turned
into the little trail ON which he Yves
sitting, Bush suddenly leaped from his
hpynotized position and awaited the
animals coming. He had no more than
cooked his rifle when the huge beast
sprang from clump OF bushes directly
in front of him. The frightened hunter
threw his rifle to his shoulder. The
lion, seeing the move, suddenly halted,
as il it had come upon the gentleman
unawares.
1t is a we'll known fact that any wild
beast will become frightened if ii sees
the face of man turned toward it in a
defiant manner, unless the animal is
wounded. That is one great secret OF
pchI uuutluRt auO tHo Shuo Is tIuo VI
all beasts. The lion Bush held at bay
was no exception to the rule, for it took
in the aituation at once, and leaped
down the caiion's side. Then it WAS
that Bush knew the animal had run
across him accidentally, and was not
bent on making breakfast on him.
But the worst was yet to come. As
the immense lion darted into the man
Zgnika thicket Bush fred and wouuded
it. He saw the animal fall and care
lessly started in to claim his game.
Jumping into the brush be found the
beast upon its launches ready to fight.
1t was then too late for Bush to back
out. and for moment he stood face to
face with the enraged lion. Before he
could raiss his rifle or remove his b unit
ing knife from it's scabbard the beast
was upon him. Then began struggle
for life. The lion fastened its teeth in
Bush's clothing in an attempt to reach
his thre at. The last thing Bush remem-
bered OF the fight was that De drew his
knife and made lunge for the amin .l's
heart
When he recovered consciousness
shortly before noon he fo1nd himself
side by eide with the dead lion the
knife still sticking in its aide. Bush
sage the battle was short and decisive,
but he wouldn't go through another
such experience for the whole OF the
Modjeska ranch. He has the pelt OF the
big animal on exhibition and is never
weary of telling ths story OF his first en-
counter with California mountain lion.
The Modern Beauty
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