Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-07-01
CHASED BY A COUGAR

The only indigenous. long. tailed cal
in America. north Of the thirtiett
parallel Of latitude. is the cougar. The
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 above men.
toned. 1t has received many trivial
appellations. Among the early Amer
ican 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
tawny red color. almost uniform over
the whole body. although somewhat
paler about the face and the parts un-
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.
lie is tree climber. He can mount
tree with the agility of cat, and, al
though so large an animal, he cimbsby
means OF his claws-not by hugging,
after the manner of bears and oppos-
sums
While climbing a tree his claws can
be heard cracking along the bark as he
mounts upward. He sometimes lies
squat along horizontal branch-a low
err one--for the purpose OF springing
upon deer. or such other animal as he
wishes to feed upon. The ledge OF a
cliff is also a favorite haunt, and such
are known among old hunters as ''pan-
Their lodges"
The Cascade range, and every tribu-
tary chain of mountains on the vast Pa
cfc 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 Sin
coe. in the valley of the same name, in
Washington territory. as it was then
called. One afternoon in June OF the
year mentioned, ! started for Fort Dali
las, 65 miles from Fort Sincoe. on the
Columbia river.
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;" that is, angling from right to
left up the steep sides OF the noun
'ains. it being impossible to make the
ascent by going straight up their
scarped faces.
| mounted my beautiful coal-blaek
mare. Potaluma, one of those strong
Indian ponies famous for their endur-
ance and ability to climb the fearful,
narrow pathways, only by which COM
munication between points was made
possible.
left the post without carrying any
even reyolver-a careless
habit Of mine. for which was repri-
manded more than once by my com
officer: but one becomes in
different to constant danger in wild
country. and was never cured OF the
fault. 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 shutdown, and, be-
fore essaying the ascent, dismounted
and cinched my saddle.
In a little more than three hours
'eached the summit, making frequent
halts to wind my animal, for she had
abored heavily in struggling up the
grade
When | started on again, after rest
ing 20 or 30 minutes. the moon, which
was at its full, now appeared at the
verge Of the horizon, way below me at
he lower end of the valley. and began
to light up the trail on the summit of
he range. so that in the clear, cloud
less sky objects were as distinctly WIS.,
ible as at MONDAY, though the atnos-
ohere and all nature seemed tinged
with silver sheen.
The trail on the summit of the range
ran over narrow tableland for several
niles. and then entered the deep pine
and cedar forest at the other extremity
# the chain of great hills over which
was going. A ride of 10 miles further
md l arrived at lonely spot, entirely
lenuded OF timber excepting groupo
blasted cedars about an acre in extent,
reached the place just as my watch