The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-11-09
MOUNTAIN LIONS.

FROM inc ~. LOUIS GlOOe-DeInOCrat.
There is not more vicious fighter in
the whole animal kingdom than the
mountain lions of the northwest, said
Maj. Jackson, of Spokane, recently.
They combine the cunning and agility
OF the cat tribe with the strength of
the lion and the ferocity of the tiger.
! have never been much Of hunter,
but few years ago had an adventure
with mountain lions out in Washington
that gave me enough of hunting big
game for all time. l had captured
some young deer, elk and foxes, and
started a small menagerie on my ranch.
One day i was out in the hills looking
at some timber, and near the mouth OF
small cave in the rocks found a young
lion crawling about on the ground and
whining like kitten. 1t was only a
few weeks old and / decided to take it
home and add it to my menagerie. l
judged that there was a nest of the
young animals somewhere among the
rocks. and that this one had ventured
out and got lost while the old ones
were away.
L 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, a
sort of cross between the wall of q
frightened baby and the bark of small
dog. Fearing that the cries would
bring the old lions home in "a hurry,
lost no time in getting away from the
spot where I found my captive. took
on my coat, and, wrapping up the
cub tried 10 stop its cries, but it was
no use; it only made more noise.
Before l had gone one hundred yards
! heard the blood-curdling shrek of
full-grown lion close behind me, and
knew that the mother of the cub was
on my trail. Her cry must have been
a call for help. In ten seconds IL was
answered as many times, and the cries
came from all directions
was surrounded by mountain lions,
and | knew that the cry OF the cub
would rouse them TO fury. / hated TO
lose the expected addition TO my men
sgerie, but dropped that lion cub as
if it had been 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 | started TO run TO get away
from it, but a swaying of the branches
OF two trees in front of me and chorus
OF fierce shriel1s close behind warned
ME that was too late. At least a dozen
ful-grown mountain lions, ! judged.
were closing IL around me, a1d they
were there for business
Some ten yards ahead of where |
stood saw big rock that rose out of
the ground fifteen feet or more
made dash FOR that rock, and reached
it just a time. Backing up against 1t
l faced half score OF tuI-grovTn
lions aud they were IS vicious loOf:-
ing lot IS ever saw. I had hoped that
they would stop when they found that
the cub was safe. out they didn't
had my Winchester witn nc. and
the chamber was f1u OF cartridges
When ! faced NJ purSuers some %
them were on the ground la1plng along
ike eats az play, while others were n
the trees sPringing from branch 20
branch with prod gi0us jumps They
wefe still giving vent % TIER cries
which are enough to ra.se a mans hair
when heard az a distance. Al the time
they We're coming closer. and two OF
those or the ground were creeping
along ready 10 spring a. rs threat as
soon a. they were near enough
The apparent hOPelessness Of nv
situation seemed TO steady my nerves,
and taking careful aim Al the nearest
lion ! fred With new kind Of scrsech
the brute lesped i've feet into TIE air
and fell back dead Bg- there was az
other one on the ground almost a. near
q the first. and Sill Advancing.
A second shot finished that one s1d
then glanced a. thg-s IL tns trees !
saw tTo glazing down az ne vita tAeir
eyes cleaning ike balls 81 ere Both
were cToucSiny tor spring. Shot
the nearest one. AID again ny ballet
reached vital spot
Before ! could throw or. the empty
shell ! heard tsrriEc shrek cylzg
sway % a hoa-se g-ovrl righ, over ~
head. ard tEen I knew thzt o1e q t5e
animals 7vss OF the rock above ne
For an instant fo--o. ;he cns = TIE
tree a1d jumped away from The ro.cx-
A. nc same instant bo.E Iiozs .-Gge1