The sun., 1899-12-31
CANADA'S LOUP CERVIER.
STUPID BRUTE BUT DANGEROUS
SOMETIMhS TO HUNTERS
Two Stories Illustrating tho Ferocity with
Which tho Benst VIII Turn on It's Pur-
suer-An Indian LeEend-Curious Love
of the Canada Lynx for Porfumes

which the Benst VIII Turn on Its Pur.
suer-An Indian LeEend-Curious Love
of the Canada Lynx for Perfumes.
QUEBEC. Dec. 3o.-Among the remaining
dcnizens OF Canadian forests most arcd lby man
in personal encounter mono Is now more likely
70 be met than the hugo catike Lynx Canadensls
orioup cervior Of tho French. Canadians. the pay.
sho Of the Montagnais Indians. OF enormous
strength and agility, the Canada lynx the larges,
and most fcrocious OF Its species, is stupid bruts
far az escape from danger Is concerned. and is
easily cornered. A loud and sudden cry from the
hunter pursuing Il Is sufficient 10 arrestits course
for q time long enough TO permit him to 1re, and
sometimes several shots are obtained at tho same
animal In this manner. Woe 70 tho unfortunate
hunter, however, II tho wounded lynx succeeds
In spnnglng upon him. Its fcrocity Is only
cquallcd by It's strength and agility. One OF the
most desperate personal encounters between .
man and loup corvior on record is that In which
Peter Mackenzie. chief factor Of tho Hudson hay
Company. csino losing his lifo on an island
In Mngan Bay. on the coast Of Labrador.
II was in the spring OF tho year, shortly aftor
tho leo had parted. that Mr.. Mackenzie went
across the bay In his canoe, moro for exercise than
anything else. Consequently he had no gun
with him-nothing but Montagnas bow and
arrow. a knife and snow shoes. Landing on the
island opposite Mingan, he saw tho fresh tracks
Of q lynx. He adjusted his snow shoes soon
found the animal, and followed II closely several
tlmes round the island without coming within
bowshot Of H. Toward evening he saw that II
was getting very faugued for he got two oppor-
tuniuos OF striking Il with the heavy Montaenais
arrow which Is used for killing smaller eAmo.
Az last he camo within twenty yards. The cat
turned round rose on Its hind legs snarlcd and
began 10 paw the air. Mr.. Mackenzie discharged
another arrow but at the same moment his anows
shoes trpped him up. and he fell headlone with his
face in tho snow. Tho cat Instantly sprang upon
him. tearing with ono stroke the coat from his
back. Mr.. Mackenzie turned round st onos,
caught the cat by tho throat by q lucky plum &c
with ono hand. and with tho other drew his knifei
but as ho made lungo they rolled ovor together.
and he received somo very severe scratches
Still holding on firmly 10 the throat Of the ani-
NAL he avoided being bitten. although he was
In danger Of having his bowels torn out by the
hind feet OF the cat which was making vigorous
resistance. A second lunee with tho knife was
fatal; tho blade passod through tho animals
heart but tho struggle left Mr.. Mackenzie oK-
haustcd and bleeding on the snow. II was some
time before he recovered, but ho finally carried
this booty in triumph to the post.
Some hunters have proved less fortunate in
their hand tohand encounters with the Canada
lynx than Mr. Mackenzie was A Montagnais
lnuldn KNOWN hS IlcHc Wds NislhHk lHo ok
marten traps near tho forks OF the Moisio Labra-
dor, when no met an Indian with a slcdgo drawn
by two dogs II wns heavy load, and As 10
was growing dusk. he asked permission TO take
the sledge into the lodge Of tho hunt or. for
said he, Il have body there, and am afraid
,fo dogs will cot IL II Il Is left outside" Alter
the twohnd smoked together foe sometime In silencs
according to the Indian manner. tho visitor
induced to tell his story
"Did you bring the body faI?" asked Pierre
"Si1 days up tho St Marguerite eight days
In all from here
How did he die"
said nothing II was evident that he had a very
sorrowiul tale TO tell or he would have sppken
my 0eG eoGsn T am % t"pins % him W TO I Ie hurried a,
tho post He asked me ! promised him y
is long journey in winter but he wished 1t. and
Then he told how /, had happened. "He and
]. he said, pointing to the body but mentioning
upon tie track ol a loup cervier and followed
it Ny cousin WAS frst and he turned round
you go up the valley with the dogs and We nro
sure 10 get him We separated In an hour
! heard gun, and then sat down an vailed
long Us night was coming On thought would
Setting dark fred my FTn. + answer,
tracks as soon as it is daylight Aiter sleerins
!
on the snow. ] followed tho tracks early In tho
morning. and before l g., halt way round nc
dssa Sa Sma could not o' SPEAK @I Close to ' him Wa,
the loup ccUlct frozen stiff, Ny cousin had
slipped into cleft y the rock just after he had
| fired and wounded the lynx and whom lie was
broken. As soon as he fell the lynx spranG upon
il with his knife but could NOT get ou, OF the hole
| in the rock account OF his broken leg Nor
could he reach his gun TO fire il OIL and let mo
remained and
| alone II had not chnnccd TO come, lifted linn
out Of the crack but his lingers snapped of they
The lynx, plays an imrortant part In Mon
tagnais mythology. The hcathcn Indians sup
and that a deity named Mcsson repaired it when
i was old 4nT day McsSon was hunting With
swan swan into a great lake and were !ost Mssscn
searched or them everywhere without success.
when 2 bird iold him Tia, hSH would md them IN
| 10 brin,: bacl; his iynxcs but Inc lake began
! TO overflow its banks and finally dclugrd tho
him a piece Of earth from which hc intended 10
| reconstruct the land but the crow could not find
any, He made an otter dive into the waters
| AZ last he sent the muskrat who brought him .
little bit from which Mosson reconstructed tho
with the gift Of immortality, enclosed in little
box, subject TO the condition that h" should not
was to bc immortal, but his curious and iHcrcdu-
| lous wife was anxious 70 Sc" what the box con.
| tdlncu, she Orncu u ana over Slilcc tne indlhnS
| have been subject 10 death,
In size q lvnx is bctwcCn fox and wolf.
Its tail, which Is exceedingly short even shorter
! than its head, Is thckly iurfcd and tipped with
! black, Its paws arc large and heavy dcnscly
covered with hair and armed with strong claws
In winter II is Of silver gray on the back, pans
toward tho belly, which Is som times white. ltI
whiSkcrs are generally white, 1t is about three
| feet in length In some specimens, tho dark
stripe down the back would not disgrace a silver
fox In summer i, wears n rusty look and tho
hair is short and thin, In appearance, II ls very
! formidable, Its teeth are long and sharp, willis
! it's powerful claws aul immense spring Tcnd,r
II n dangerous oppOU nj To amy animal hGt II
encounters. In its HABITS II is predatory. II ~
charged with attacking ,nr young ui the red drcr
? and hhrcS IL dNNouTs with aVidity. II pursurs
patt'iigcS and other birds n the tops 81 tho loiu
trees and il even kiiH fish in their native clcmcuL
! II has no regard whatever for family tics, and
int rprctS III" nry"ros II paternity pretty riv, n
rs Count tgoir" did and like him drNours lil
! children 10 pr t'r'c for them n father In WIZ
tor its flesh is bv no m"ans nd iocat Hnd j. rllr h
! used bv b,th white and Indian hunters lt9 sin
| IL worth from two 10 IoIr dollars, according 10
| IN" season in which thu animal is killed
The lpuU CrtNlrT lT,QuputlN with ly