The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-02
HE FIGHTS WICKED
THE MOUNTAIN LION IS A VERY VI
ClOUS ANTAGONIST.
Close Call For = Hunter Who Tried to Car
~ on Cub--he Man. With His Back
Against Rock. Did Battle With 1t Least
Dozen Of the RrutsS.


There are no more 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 the lion and
the fcrocity OF the tiger.
Il have never been much of = hunter,
but few years ago l 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 small
menagerie on my ranch.
! "One DAY / was out in the hills looking
ht some timber, and near n mouth OF a
small cave in the rocks / found young
lion crawling about on the ground and
whining like kitten. Ii was only few
weeks old and decided 70 take il home
and add it TO my menagerie ] judged
that there was a most 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 10 show fight. But rs
soon as / took IL UP in my arms it set UP
a dreadful screeching cry, sort Of cross
between the wall of a frightened baby
and the bark of small dog Fearing that
the cries would bring the old lions home
IL a hurry / lost no time in getting away
from the spot where / found my captive.
/ took off my coat and wrapping up the
cub tried TO stop its cries, but it was no
use. 1t only made more noise.
Before l had gone 100 yards I heard
the bloOdourdling shrek OF a full grown
lion close behind me. and knew that the
mother of the cub was on my trail. Her
cry must have been n call for help. In 10
seconds il was answered as many times,
and the cries came from all directions.
Il was surrounded by mountain lions
and l knew that the cry of the cub would
rouse them 20 fury. ! hated TO lose the
expected addition to my menagerie, but l
dropped that lion cub as II il had been n
hot brick. Instead of running away, as /
Thoughts il would. the cub lay down right
under my feet and made more noise than
ever.
Then 1 started 70 run 20 get away
from il, but a swaying of the branches of
two trees in front of me and a chorus OF
fierce shrieks close behind warned me that
j 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
/ saw big rock that rose out of the
ground 10 feet or more. i made a dash
for that rock and reached it just in time.
Backing up against IL faced half a score
of full grown lions, and they were as vi
cious looking lot as i ever saw. / had
hoped that they would stop when they
found that the cub was safe, but they
didn't. l had my winchester with me,
and the chamber was full of cartridges.
When / faced my pursuers, some OF
them were on the ground, leaping along
like cats at play, while others We're in the
trees springing from branch TO branch
with prodigious jumps They were still
giving vent 70 their cries, which were
enough TO raise n mans hair when heard
at a distance All tho time they were
coming closer and two OF those on the
ground were creeping along ready 10
spring at my throat as soon as they wsre
near enough.
The apparent hopelessness Of my situa-
ton seemed to steady my nerves, and, tax
ing careful aim at the nearest lion, i fired.
With new kind Of screech the brute
leapcd five feet into the air and fell back
dead But there was another one on the
ground almost rs near as the first and
still advancing
a second shot finished that one, and
then glanced at those in the trees. L saw
two giaring down At me, with their eyes T.
cleaning like balls OF fire. Both were I
crouchinG for spring. l shot the nearest .
one, and again my bullet reached "a vital 1
spot.
Before / could throw out the empty
shell heard a terrific shrek, dying away 1
20 a hoarso growl. right over my head, and ]
then / knew that one OF the animals was
Oh the rock above me
For an instant / 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 ons from the
rock above me. saw thcn coming and
tried TO dodge 20 one side. wheeled about
and escaped she full force 81 their spring.
Both Of them struck me on the shoulders
with their fore feet as they came down, and
heir long sharp claws tore great burrows
n my flesh and left my coat and shirt
hanging in sbreds.
The blood spurtsd from nv wounds,
md wa knocked down by tho force Of
he blows i closed my eyes as / fell, face
downward, and expected To 10 torn %
ihreds In an instant, but % my surprise
he animal did not follow mp the attack,
md as / struggled 10 my feet their hOarso
Tr0xling and the sounds q terrific
t-usgls todd me that they wero fighting
zsch other.
They had got the smell Of blood. and.
Missing their victim at the first spring. tho
ierce 5rutes few az each othsr's threats.
turned In time 70 see the most fe-Dclous
ombat / had ever witnessed. and IN the
Of the moment I forgot ny
gounds
The other lions had seen in the tres
we're probably frightened away oy the
hots I had fired Anyway they were
-one, and the two that had tried 20 make
meal q me we're left n fght their battle
o the death without interruption.
picked up my rife and again took a
'ositi0n against the rock bu, TIE fighting /
.ons yer, no longer aware Of my presence
hey rolled over and over - fAs; that they
1oked ike two great yellow balls, charz-
ng 70 red as the blood began % 1o~ IN
trearns from the gaping wounds they
we're tearing Ia each others bodies Yita
seth and claws
The fght must have lasted al o, th-ps
1inut@- and then the iArss- a. TIE two
niu.als 60 b. teeth securely fastened IA
IN threat q the other. In . few moments
p Wa drinking ihe Efeo.Sod o. rs van
1ishsd antagonist and then - ke crDu,h-
& ~ ,he body With eyes oiose6 I RAISED
IT rife ard ssO. TIE victor 6sss
bound rp NJ ~ocnds a. vel ~
ould and managed % rrsch hnros. bEs
rss very weak from loss - blood. and IL
rs< nor. thar rrcr-A b~sc-s recovered