Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-07-17

it seemed just the reverse, for on the
report of our single breechloaders a
pair of full.grown cougars burst from
cover not 80 feet away, and were out
of sight before we could slip in fresh
cartridges or draw our revolvers.
"Confound the bear" said Carson !;
"I'd rather have killed those lions than
a dozen like him. But never mind !;
we'll get them yet. Meantime we
may as well peel old Ephraim."
When this troublesome job was done,
and the heavy pelt swung up on sap
pling beyond the reach of wolves, we
took different paths, and began to beat
down the ravine again. We could not
find the cougars, and had come almost
within sight of the cleared space where
we left the horses and mule, when the
report of Barney's big smoothboreerang
out like that of six-pounder, and
next moment he yelled:
Help! There's couple of muth.
erin's basthes sneakin' ontil me, an
me guns Imply"
"The lions!' cried Carson, as we
rushed out into the open glade, to see
the horses straining frantically on their
lariots, the mule trotting homeward,
and Barney covering in ahject terror,
crossing himself and moaning.
We could see no cause for his alarm.
"But where are the lions, Barney ?"
was asked.
"Sorra wan av me knows, sor. But
they was beyant thin bushes whin
ould Jack got soight av thin, wavin
their tails an lickin' their chops loike
they'd ate him, whole all the time 1t
was mesilf they was afther, because
Old gev thin weeny sprinklin' ay
shot"
"Look out there" called Carson !;
tthey are running under cover after
the mule" pointing to tremendous
and swiftly advancing line of motion
among the wayside bushes ..
Untying the horses, we sprang to
saddle and were off in hot pursuit, but
too late to save Jack; for, without
having been previously seen by US, the
two lions broke cover, and, one at his
throat and the other at his flank,
pulled the beast down while we were
so yards away.
@Hold up" said Carson; "the mis-.
chiefs done. Let them settle down
on their prey. Too much brush in
the way to make sure shot,"
So for a minute or two we sat quiet
in our saddle, watching the brutes un.
til they became wholly preoccupied
with their feast. Then We rode for
ward to within rs yards.
"Now," whispered Carson" "you
take the one on the right, and I'll drop
the other"
At the simultaneous crack of our
rifles the cougar fired at by Carson,
the male, stretched itself out in death
with scarcely culver; but as 1 after
ward found, the elevating leaf of my
|rile's back sight had got raised, and
entirely overshot my mark. There
upon, the surviving cougar, madden
ed by the taste of blood, or by the loss
of her mate, uttered humsnlike
scream and came to me in prodigious
lleaps, the fourth of which would have
brought her to my throat. But that
Heap was never completed, for while
the creature was in midair, Carson
fred two revolver shots quick as
| lightning, and she dropped, dying at
nv horses feet, both bullets having
struck the very centre of her chest.
IA rather neat performance"
said. "I'd hardly got my own pistol
out of the holster"
"Oh, that's nothing" said Carson
"practice makes perfect. l oughtn't
to have taken the shot from you, but
there was no time to lose, as the brute
might have hurt your horse"
Barney, painting and blowing like a
stranded grampus, now came up on
the run, and was sent off by Carson
after the bearskin.
After skinning the cougars we set
off for home, regulating our pace to
Barney's speed in walking. Poor Bar
ney did not long remain a greenhorn.
Soon the old smoothbore gave place to
rifle, and tutored by his employer, he
became a skillful hunter as well as q
fearless Indian fighter. He died while
trying to save his masters property.
Carson himself told me the story about
two years after our hunt. He had
sent Barney out in charge of large
flock of sheep destined for the Califor-
MIA market.
On the way Barney and his fellow
herdsmen were attacked by strong
band of rowing Indians. who, after a
long battle, slaughtered all but one of
the men. This one, getting back to
the ranch, told him that Barney, after
his ammunition was gone, had contin-
ued to fight like a tiger, and with his
heavy rifle barrel had killed in hand
to-hand combat six of the savages
before he fell.