The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-06-05
A CATAMOUN1' FIGHT.
THE MOUNTAIN LION is A VERY VI
Cloys ANTAGONIST.

Che 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 ferocity Of the tiger.
II have never been much of a hunter.
but a few years ago had an adventure
with mountain lions out IN Washington
that gave me enough OF hunting big game
tor all time had captured some young
deer, elk and foxes and started a small
inenagciie on my ranch.
"One day I was out In the hills looking
at some timber, and near a mouth of a
small cave ia the rocks l found young
lion crawling about Cn the ground and
whining like a kitten. 1t was only few
weeks old, and decided TO take it home
and add il to my menagerie. l judged
that there was a 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
a dreadful screeching cry, a sort of cross
between the wall Of a frightened baby
and the bark of a small dog Fearing that
eAAS NAANn NOAANA DAAS X NllD bANA 4Abllh
in hurry lost T o time in getting away
from the spot where l found my captive.
l took of 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 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 must have been a call for help. In 10
seconds it was answered as many times,
and the cries came from all directions
II was surrounded by mountain lions,
and knew that the cry of the cub would
rouse them to fury. Ibated to lose the
expected addition to my menagerie, but 1
dropped that lion cub as if it had been a
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 1 started to run to get away
from it, but swaying of the branches of
two trees in front of me and chorus of
fierce shrieBs 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 busi.
ness.
"Some 10 yards ahead of where stood
l saw big rock that rose out of the
ground 10 feet or more. / made a dash
for that rock and reached it just in time.
Backing up against 1t faced half a score
of full grown Ions and they were as vi
cious looking lot as l ever saw. 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 l faced my pursuers, some of
them were on the ground, leaping along
like cats at play, while others were in the
trees springing from branch to branch
with prodigious jumps They were still
giving vent to their cries, which We're
enough to raise mans hair when heard
at a distance All the time they were
coming closer, and two of those on the
ground were creeping along ready to
spring at my throat as soon as they were
near enough
THE apparent hopelessness Of my situa-
tion seemed to steady my nerves, and, tax
ing careful aim at the nearest lion, 1 fired.
With o new kind of screech the brute
leaped five feet into the air and fell back
dead But there was another one on the
ground almost as near as the first and
still advancing.
"A second shot finished that one, and
then glanced at those in the trees. saw
two glaring down at me, with their eyes
cleaning like balls of fire. Both were
crouohing for q spring. shot the nearest
one, and again my bullet reached vital
spot.
Before could throw out the empty
shell heard "a terrific shrek, dying away
TO a hoarse growi, right over my head, and
then knew that one of the animals was
on the rock above me
For an instant L 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 saw them coming and
tried to dodge TO one side / wheeled about
and escaped the full force of their spring
Both of them struck me on the shoulders
with their fore feet as they came down, and
their long sharp claws tore great furrowS
in my flesh and left my coat and shirt
hanging in shreds.
THE blood spurted from my wounds
and l was knocked down by the force of
the blows. l closed my eyes as fell, face
downward, and expected 60 be torn to
shreds in an instant, but to my surprise
the animal did not follow up the attack,
and as I struggled to my feet their hoarse
growing and the sounds of a terrific
struggle told me that they were fighting
each other.
"They had got the smell of blood, CHd,
missing their victim at the first spring, the
fierce brutes flew at each others throats
l turned in time to see the most ferooious
combat had ever witnessed, and in the
excitement of the moment 1 forgot my
wounds
The other lions had seen in the trees
were probably frightened away by the
shots I had fired Anyway they were
gone and the two that had tried to make
q meal of me were left to fight their battle
to the death without interruption.
Il picked up my rifle and again took a
position against the rock, but the fighting
lions were no longer aware of my presence,
They rolled over and over so fast that they
looked like two great yellow balls, chang
ing TO red as the blood began to flow in
streams from the gaping wounds they
were tearing in each others bodies with
teeth and claws.
THE fight must have lasted all Of three
minutes and then the largar of the two