Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-08-25
CHASED BY A COUGAR.

~ liC vi ..
wildcats, so-called, are lynxes with
short tails, and Of these there are three
distinct species. But there is only one
true representative of the genus Felis;
and that is the animal first o men
toned. 1t has received many trivial
appellations. Among the early Amer
lean trappers and hunters east Of the
Mississippi river, it is called the
panther, or, in their patois, painter"
in the Rocky mountains and California.
the California lion"
There are few wild animals, says the
st. Louis Republic, SO regular in their
color as the cougar; very little variety
has been observed among many speci-
mems. The cougar of mature age is of
a.tawny red color, almost uniform over
the whole body, although somewhat
paler about the face and the parts UNI
derneath. Though considered the rep
resentative of the lion in America. his
resemblance to the royal beast is but
slight. His color alone entities him to
such an honor.
He is n tree climber. He can mount
a tree with the agility of q cat, and,a al
though so large an animal, he climbs by
means of his claws-not by hugging,
after the manner of bears and oppos-
ums.
While climbing a tree his claws can
be heard cracking along the bark as he
mounts upward. He sometimes lies
squat along a horizontal branch-a low
er one-for the purpose of springing
upon a deer, or such other animal as he
wishes t feed upon. The ledge OF a
cliff is also a fayorite haunt, and such
are known among old hunters as PAN
ther lodges"
The Cascade range, n every tribu-
tary chain of mountains on the vast Pa
cifc slope, was the habitat of the
cougar, or mountain lion, as everybody
out there called the ~ferocious beast.
The cougar rarely ventured out of the
great forests, however, the deer and
mountain sheep furnishing them their
general food.
In 1867 / was stationed at Fort Sim
coe, in the valley of the same name, in
Washington territory, as it was then
called. One afternoon in June of the
year mentioned, I started for Fort Dali
las, 65 miles from Fort Sincoe, on the
Noiuliolb iiNSi-
There were no wagon roads in those
early days. Everything had to be car
ried on pack mules, because of the
rough, rocky and precipitous character
of the country. The majority of the
mule trails were what are called zig
zags;" hat is, angling from right to
left up the steep sides of the noun
tains, it being impossible to make the
ascent by going straight up their
| scarped faces.
1 mounted my beautiful coal-black
mare, Petaluma, one of those strong
| Indian ponies famous for their endur-
ance and ability to climb h fearful,
narrow pathways, only by which com
munication between points was made
possible.
L left the post without carrying any
arms-not even a revolver careless
habit of mine, for which l was repri-
manded more than once by my COM
| handing officer; but one becomes in
| different to constant danger in n wild
country, and I was never cured of the
fault. 1 reached the foot of the first
~"zig-zag," at the west side of the val
ley, where it juts against the range of
mountains about sundown,, and, be-
fore essaying the ascent, dismounted
and cinched my saddle.
In a little more than three hours /
reached the summit, making frequent
halts to wind my animal, for she bad
labored heavily in struggling up the
grade.
When I started o again, after rest
ing 20 or 80 minutes, the moon, which
was at it's full, now appeared at the
verge of the horizon, way below me at
the lower end of the valley, and began
to light up the trail on the summit OF
the range, so that in the clear, cloud
less sky objects We're as distinctly Wis.,
ible as at MONDAY, though the atmos-
phere and all nature seemed tinged
with a silver sheen.
The trail on the summit Of the range
ran over a narrow tableland for several
miles, and then entered the deep pine
and cedar forest at the other extremity
of the chain Of great hills over which
was going. A ride of IL miles further
and 1 arrived at a lonely spot, entirely
denuded of timber excepting a group OF
blasted cedars about an acre in extent
1 reached the place just as my watch
indicated midnight. Seating myself on
one of the granite powders scattered
over the ground, 1 lighted my pipe and
was about to enjoy the delicious fra.
GRANGE of some tobacco which had been
given me the day before by an officer
lately arrived from the states, when my
mare. which 1 was holding by the rein,
gave q convulsive shudder and nearly
broke away from me. l could not for a
moment divine what had caused her
trepidation. for when with me, although
a most highly-mettled animal, she was
usually as docile as a kitten.
The moon was nearly over my head,
and 1 gazed around in wonder for some
minutes to learn the cause of my pet
animals strange action. Presently, on
looking at the very center of the cluster
of blasted cedars, l saw two great green
eyes staring at me with a steadiness
that was appalling. For a moment i
was seemingly fascinated by the un-
canny vision, but in another instant all
sense of possible superstition vanished,
az / saw h bushes move and heard
dead twigs lying on the ground crack
az if under the foot of some heavy ami
NAL ~treading on -nem. With bated
breath, l saw q monstrous couga
stealthily crawl out of the tangled mass
of b~rushwood in a c~rouching attitude.
its tail slowly oscillating, as does that of
the domestic cat when watching a
mousehole.
The beast evidently then saw me for
the first time, and. as is natural with the