The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-07

ties erect and growing orninously. Il
dragged its wounded body slowly along
Its action showed the men plainly what
they sought was just ahead. and, crush
ing their way through the bushes. they
entered a small cleared space. probably
- yards in diameter. At one edge Of the
clearing lay the body Of the man they
sought, his heavy corduroy hunting suit
ana canvas coat torn almost from his
BODY and his flesh torn ana gashed IN
Horrible manner. 1t was at FIRST thought
he was dead, but a closer examination
showed that there was yet life. 1t hung
however, almost by thread. One shout
der and arm were terribly crushed and
mangled; the flesh on his limbs was in
| ribbons; and across his breast and left
side were great deep gashes. Nearby was
his double-barreled shotgun. with stock
shattered and barrels bent. The dog
crawled into the open, paused beside
its almost iifeless master, whined pite-
ously moment, and then dragged itself
toward the opposite side, growing fierce
ly. The men followed. In the center was
the carcass Of a young doe. but, not notlc-
ing II, the dog went on into the brush
and. throwing itself on the body of some
animal, began biting and growing. II
was huge mountain lion. 1t was quite
dead. There were numerous gaping
wounds in its throat and left side. in
which was driven 10 the hilt a short,
stout-bladed hunting knife. The flesh on
its jaws and ears also showed that the
setter had been in at the death. While
some of the men prepared a litter of
boughs, others skinned the lion, and, plac-
ing II on the unconscious body of their
comrade, with the faithful dow at his
feet to eqnalize the weight, they carried
the two slowly back to the ranch house,
where a surgeon, summoned by one who
had gone on ahead, was waiting their ar
rival. Weeks afterward. with his chair
- -. -
by his side, Tom told me the story Of the
fight. .sf-"
1t was nearly noon, and he had turned to-
ward the ranch, when he heard his dog
growing in the thicket. Forcing his way
through the brush ne came face to face
with the lion. which was standing with
one foot on the doe, which 1t had just pull
ed down, and, lashing it's body and the
ground, with its long tail, watched the dog
as II circled around. AS Tom crashed
through the bushes the lion turned and
they saw each other at the same moment
without an instant's hesitation the lion
crouched and its body quvered convulsive-
ly as 1t gathered itself for q spring Retreat
was impossible, for less than 20 feet sepa-
rated them, SO, throwing up his gun. Tom
fired the small load of birdshot point blank
as the animal leaped Springing to one side,
Tom gave IL the other barrel as it struck
the ground. The fine shot only maddened
the brute, and 1t rose again. Tom struck 1t
squarely across the head with the clutched
gun, spattering the stock and bending the
barrels. But the blow did not even stun
the animal. Its reach was as long as that
of the gun, and "swipe" of it's powerful
forepaw pulled Tom TO the ground and on
the under side. 1t snapped at his throat
but caught Toms shoulder 1t was then
that the setter took hand. The brave
dog sprang to the aid of it's master, snap
ping at the lions throat. The huge beast
released its hold of Tom for an instant
and blow of its paw knocked the dog
some 10 feet, laying open its side with sew
eral deep gashes. Tom could not rise with
the brute standing on him, but the diver
sion caused by the dog gave him an oppor-
tunity to twist his body quickly and draw
his hunting knife on which he was lying.
He buried the knife to the haft In the
lions side. With horrible screech the
animal turned ana buried its teeth in his
shoulder again with a terrible crunch, at
the same time using its fearful claws
Again and again Tom piled the knife,
though blindly, as he was fast losing
strength. yet the soft thud and the gush of
warm blood that poured over him were
evidence that every thrust told. He said the
last thing he remembered was that his dog
was crawling to renew the attack. The
next thing he knew he was in his own
room and the surgeon was stitching up his
wounds.
one of the largest and fiercest mountain
lions killed in San Diego county for sew
eral years met his death the past week
on the ranch of George H. Hubbs at Lagu-
ma, north of Campo, near the border line
tor some months past the lion has been
prowling in that locality, and, besides
10 fine Angora goats belonging to Silas
Gaskill, which are known to have been
killed by the animal, an occasional colt
or calf has been pounced upon and dragged
away. The strength of the big cat must
have been unusual, for in one instance,
six-months-old calf, after being killed
near a corral, was dragged and carried
bodily through a thick brush and across
gullles, its carcass being found in an out
ot-the-way place stripped clean of flesh
and with the hide lying about in shreds,
showing evidence of having been cut as
keenly by the claws of the lion as could
have been done with whetted knife
But the big lion became bold with fire.
quent successful raids, entered the prem
ises of Mr.. Hubs the other day, and
was not long in attracting the attention
of the dogs, which set up a loud yelping
Mr.. Hubs little son went out to learn
the cause of the trouble, and when he
saw the huge lion lounglng along toward
tree, occasionally stopping to show it's
teeth to the dogs, he lost no time in get
ting back to the house after his father
Mr.. Hubs only weapon was a shotgun
and his heaviest shot No. g. but he thought
he would go out anyway and size up"
his unwelcome visitor. The lion had by
this time gained place in the tree, and
was lying on one of the larger limbs
about 20 feet from the ground.
As Mr.. Hubs approached the brute
fiattened its ears against its head, snarl-
ing viciously, striking the limb terrific
blows with its forepaws and giving such
other evidence Of its fierceness that Mr..
Hubbs hesitated about taking any fur
Their action in the matter However, &c
had a number of good. strong dogs that
only needed an opportunity and encour-
agement, so, aiming directly at the ant
mails eyes, he fred, then precipitately left
that vicinity. For an instant the lion
chung to the limb, then with a fearful
scream, it leaped out into space, land
ing squarely where Mr., Hubbs had stood
a moment before. 1t had hardly touched
the ground when the dogs were upon it,
and one was instantly Killed by a blow
on the neck, evidently given at random.
for. as subsequently ascertained, the lion
had been blinded by the charge of shot
Turning upon the other dogs he struck
out wildly his great claws distended,
and not without effect, as occasionally a
dog drew out of the fight with deep gashes
along his side. Mr.. Hubbs realizing that
1t was only a question of moments until