Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-09-26
A CATAMOUNT FIGHT.
THE MOUNTAIN LION is A VERY VI
CIoUS ANTAGONIST.

CIoUS ANTAGONIST.
Close Call For q Hunter who Tried to Car
ry Off a Cub-The Man, With His Back
Against Rock, Did Battle with at Least
Dozen of the Brutes.
ssThere are no moro vicious fighters in
the whole animal Kingdom than the
mountain lions of the northwest" said
Major Jackson of Spokane. "They COM
bine the cunning and agility of the cat
tribe with the strength of tho lion and
| the ferocity of tho tiger.
Il have never boon much of a hunter
but a few years ago I had an adventure
with mountain lions out in Washington
that gave me enough of hunting big game
for all time had captured some young
deer, elk and foxes and started a small
menagerie on my ranch.
lone day I was out in the hills looking
at some timber, and near a mouth Of
small cave in the rocks l found a young
lion crawling about on the ground and
whining like kitten. 1t was only few
weeks old aud decided to take it home
and add it to my menagerie. / judged
that there was q nest of the young ami
mails somewhere among the rocks and that
this one had ventured out and got lost
while the old ones were away.
Il had no trouble in catching it, and
he was too young to show fight. But as
soon as took it up in my arms it set up
dreadful screeching cry, sort of cross
between the wall of a frightened baby
and the bark of a small dog. Fearing that
the cries would bring the old lions homo
in q hurry lost no time in getting away
from the spot where l found my captive.
took off my coat and wrapping up tho
cub tried to stop its cries, but it was no
use. 1t only made more noise. 81
Before 1 had gone 100 yards I heard
the bloodcurdling shrek of a full grown
lion close behind me, and knew that the
mother of the cub was on my trail Her
cry mttSt have been a call for help. In 10
seconds it was answered as many times,
and the cries came from all directions.
Il was surrounded by mountain lions,
and knew that the cry of the cub would
rouse them to fury. 1 hated to lose the
expected addition to my menagerie, but
dropped that lion cub as if it had been u
hot brick. Instead of running away, as
thought it would, the cub lay down right
under my feet and made more noise than
ever.
''Then I started to run to get away
from it, but q swaying of the branches of
two trees in front of me and a chorus of
fierce shrieks close behind warned me that
I was too late At least dozen full grown
mountain lions judged, were closing in
around me, and they were there for bust
ness.
"Some 10 yards ahead of where stood
1 saw q big rock that rose out of the
ground Is feet or more. l made n dash
for that rock and reached it just in time.
Backing up against it faced half a score
of full grown lions, and they were as vi
cious looking lot as l ever saw. I had
hoped that they would stop when they
found that the cub was safe, but they
didn't. 1 had my winchester with me,
and the chamber was full of cartridges.
when faced my pursuers, some of
them were on the ground, 1eaping along
like cats at play, while Others were in tho
trees springing from branch to branch
with prodigious jumps They were still
giving vent to their cries, which wcro
enough to raise mans hair when heard
at distance. All the time they were
coming closer, and two of those on the
ground wero creeping along ready to
spring at my throat as soon as they were
near enough.
THE apparent hopclessness of my situa-
ton seemed to steady my nerves, and, tax
ing careful aim at the nearest lion, fired.
With new kind of screech tho brute
leapcd five feet into the air and fell back
dead. But there was another one on the
ground almost as near as tho first and
still advancing.
GA second shot finished that one, and
then glanced at those in the trees. I saw
two glaring down at me, with their eyes
cleaning like balls of fire. Both were
crouching for spring shot the nearest
one, and again my bullet reached vital
spot.
Before 1 could throw out the empty
shell heard terrific shrek, dying away
| to a hoarse growl, right over my head, and
then 1 knew that ono of the animals was
on the rock above me.
For an instant 1 forgot the one in the
tree and jumped away from the rock. At
the same instant both lions jumped for
me, one from the tree and one from the
rock above me. l saw them coming and
tried to dodge to one side wheeled about
and escaped the full force of their spring.
Both of them struck mo on the shoulders
with their foro feet as they came down, and
their long sharp claws tore great burrows
in my flesh and left my coat and shirt
hanging in shreds
"The blood spurted from my wounds.
and was knocked down by the force of
the blows. closed my eyes as fell, face
downward, and expected to be torn to
shrcds in an instant, but to my surprise
the animal did not follow up the attack,
and as struggled to my feet their hoarsc
growing and the sounds of terrific
| struggle told me that they were fighting
each other.
"They had got the smell of blood, and,
missing their victim at the first spring. the