The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-20
ENCOUNTERS WITH COUGARS.
Triumphs of Forest Craft over the
Cunning Beast.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
An old mountaineer resident for these
many years in the forests Of the Olympic
range of Washington, once had an adven-
ture with pair of cougars in that locality
which very clearly illustrates the cunning
and pertinacity of this branch OF the feline
tribe when in quest of meal According
TO his story, he set out in the early hours
of a certain suspicious June morning for a
group of meadows, swamps and springs
eight or ten miles distant, and near the
summit of the range. for the purpose OF
bagging an elk. The whole face OF the
country was at that time and still is, eA-
cept where culled over by the logger -
one immense forest of towering yellow frs
and giant imperishable cedars, which lat
ter, by the way have frequently been
found good single timber after lying
prone on the earth for a term of years
reaching we'll up into the hundreds. as
evidenced by the ring growths Of other
monarches of their kind that have grown
over them.
In traversing such a country as this, il
one is so determinate as to pursue fixed
course he will at times find il necessary
to Chamber over fallen trees that have piled
up in puzzlng confusion. TO walk slippery
poles and logs al uncomfortable distances
from the ground, or to adopt the safer
method of crawling bear fashion through
any openings that chance may present.
The professional hunter and mOuntaineer,
who is usually opposed to any uncallad
for exertion on his part, instinetiveiy
avoids these forest tangles and strides
along in the great mystical shadows and
semi-twilight as though in the open plain
for in many localities, as 1t was OF
the one of which We write, great stretches
so to speak may be encountered where
little or no underbrush, except the newt
able knee-high sallal. impedes the progress
of the hunter. However. at intervals in
any of these mountain forests, marshy
places of a few acres in extent VIII De
met with here and there, where the larger
trees have yielded. in a measure, TO the
RIGHTS of the alder thieket, with its numer-
ous specimens of rank, broad-leafed plant
life; and here it is that the hungry cougar
often lies fatigably as ever.
our hunter in anticipation OF great
rounds of elk steak broiled on the Goals.
svVung RAPIDLY along in the direction OF
tho distant meadows, ejecting by the way
side from time to time, with a thorough
~ business air, the delicious juice of his
favorite brand of chewing tobacco. sew
eraI miles had been covered in this care
less fashion. when presently he became
aware that he was being shadowed by a
Dair of cougars. BY treading with ht-
lie more caution he was enabled TO DIS
tinguish the noise of their footiails at no
very remote distance, as they sprang with
ereat hounds from cover 20 cover. in their
endeavors TO keep fairly abreast OF their
intended victim until a favorable oppor-
unity should occur to pounce on him. Our
hunter kent a close though covert watch
On their movement, and could easily a.
divers lines, have dispatched both OF
them. But refrained from doing so, partly
out of curiosity, partly for the sport OF
the thing To say the least their actlons
were interesting, and as they kept az a
respectful distance, afforded no small a.
version TO the imperturbable hunter As
a fact they unanswered so adroitly, timed
their movements 50 carefully, and kept
a. such a discreet distance that no one
hut an experienced mountaineer, Well
skilled in animal craft, would have known
~ their vicinage When he paused in
his walk they instantly crouched to eartn
while peering cautiously and intently over
the low shrubbery with which, strange 20
cav. their coats blended to perfection or
from behind the trunk Of some giant tree
wberc the color blending was just as re-
markable. When he forged ahead they
kept mace with his footsteps. occasionally
making most incredible leaps with the evi-
aent intention Of escaping observation
And when any Of the numerous alder
snrings fell in the way they ran around
and hid themselves therein. no doubt
thinking as the day advanced the unsus-
meeting man would enter TO quench his
thirst. But our hunter. being master IN
forest craft. very prudently steered cieas
Of all places where he could have been
caught az a disadvantage. After an hour
az more had passed in this bottles man.
ner the female Of the pair, probably fear
fearing for the welfare OF her kittens, gave
uD the chase, but the male CONTINUED the
play as indefaugably as ever.
Satisfying himself that the female rad
really drawn out OF the game and was
ROT skuikIng IN the rear with more sinister
designs our hunter marched straight into
the next thicket that happened IN the way
and confronted the male couEsr. Nho.
with widely dlstended mouth and CULVER
ing under Jaw held close TO the ground.
was eagerly awaiting his Approach lev
yards the other side Of the trunk d