Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-01-09
THH PUMA'S FRIENDSHIP P0R MAN.

The puma, a carnivorous animal, is
said to be the lesser lion of America.
1t is fawn- colored, without name,
and is much smaller than the lion. It
is very courageous, active, and skillful,
and attacks its enemy. the jaguar. an
animal much larger than itself, by
jumping ON to its back and infiioting
terrible wounds with Its teeth and
claws.
The puma of South America has an
uncomfortable desire for horsefesh,
and kills all its victims instantaneous
ly by jumping on their backs and with
cne claw on the chest and the other on
the head, giving violent and sudden
wrench that breaks the neck.
The natives can always recognize
the work of the puma by these broken
necks. The ass, when attacked by the
puma, docs not lose its presence of
mind, but puts its head we'll down bo-
tween its forelegs and by kicking vio-
lently drives the animal off. Although
the puma is 30 skillful and courageous
in attacking animals, it ouriously
enough will not only attack but not
even defend itself against a man. A
man or child can sleep ON the open
pampa Of South America without fear
from the puma.
When the natives throw the laoss
around its neck and approach it for
the purpose Of killing it the poor beast
will lose its firm bearing. moan and cry
piteously, and great tears will pour
from its eyes.
A well-known scientist tells some
interesting stories Of this disinclination
on the part of the puma to harm men:
A gauchos of South America had fallen
asleep on the plains and on waking up
during the night saw two full-grown
pnmas with their little ones close by
him. This sight did not in the least
alarm him, and he watched them play
ing about him, jumping over him, till
he fell asleep again, and when he
awoko in the morning they were gone.
Another story is of man who fell
off his horse and broke his leg and,
while lying on the ground helpless. to
his horror he saw jaguar approaching
him, and realized that in few awful
moments, the beasts great fangs and
cruel claws would be slowly pulling
him to bits, when to his agonized beart
came the blessed relief Of a puma
growl. His deliverer at once engaged
the jaguar in deadly combat and event.
ually drove him off.
A very pretty tradition was ourrant
among the early settlers of Buenos
Ayres. A young girl had committed
an act of treachery against the white
people, and was condemned to be tied
to tree for two nights and day as
punishment. At the end Of the time
some soldiers went, expecting to see her
bones picked, but, to their surprise,
they found her unharmed. A puma
had defended her, she said, against all
corners. The girl was at once released
and pardoned, as her preservation was
looked upon as direct interposition
of Providence.
So convinced are the gauohos that
the puma will do them no harm, that,
although they will kill them in de-
fense of their horses and sheep-the
animals will not touch cattle they
consider it crime to kill them in the
open. very justly looking upon them
as friend of man. A theory as to the
reason of this unusual characteristic
is, that color, scent and noises, affect
different animals in strange ways. and
there may be something in man of this
nature that safeguards him against the
puma. "There is something mysterious
in the hatreds and affections of ami
mails"