The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-11

and could not speak. Close TO him was
the loup cervier frozen stiff. My cousin
had slipped into a cleft of the rock just
after he had fired and wounded the lynx
and when he was within twenty yards OF
1T. One OF his legs was broken. AS
soon as he fell the lynx sprang upon him
and tore OF part of his scalp. lie killed
It with his knife, but could not get out OF
the hole in the rock on account of his
broken leg. Nor could he reach his gun
10 fire it OF and let me know There he
must have remained and died alone II
had not CHANGED 10 come. / iftCd him
out of the crack, but his fingers snapped
off-they We're frozen
The lynx plays an important part in Mon
tagnais mythology. The Aeathen Indians
suppose that the world was created BY Alta
hocan. and that deity named Messon re-
paired II when II was old. One day Messon
was hunting with lynxes Instead of dogs.
His savage companions swan into great
lake and were lost Messou searched for
them everywhere without success, when
bird told him that he would find them in the
middle of the lake. He entered the lake to
bring back his lynxes. but the lake began
&c overflow its hanks and finally deluzed
the world. Messon, astonished. sent a crow
TO bring him a piece OF earth from which
he intended TO reconstruct the land, but the
crow did not find any. He made an otter
dive into the waters. but the otter was as
unsuccessful as the crow. AT last ne sent
the nuskrat who brought him q little bit
from which Messon reconstructed the earth
as It now Is. He presented an Indian with
the gift Of immortality, Enclosed in e little
box. subject to the condition that he should
not open it. As long as he kept the box
closed he was TO be immortal but his cur
ious and incrednious wife was anxious 10
see what the box contained She opened it
and ever since the Indians have been sub
ject TO death.
Pursues Birds and Even Fish.
In size a lynx is between a fox and a
wolf. Its tail, which is exceedingly short
even shorter than it's head, is thickiy
furred and tipped with black Its paws
are large and heavy, densely covered with
hair and armed with strong claws In
winter " is OF a silver gray on the back
paHng toward the belly, which Is some
times white. Its whiskers are generally
white. Ii Is about three feet in length
In some specimens the dark stripe down
the back would not disgrace a silver fox
In summer IL wears rusty look and the
hair Is short and thin. In appearance IL
is very formidable. Its teeth are long and
sharp, while its powerful claws and Inn
mense spring render IL dangerous oppo-
nent to any animal that It encounters
In Its habits II is predatory. 1t Is charg-
ed with attacking the young OF the red
deers, and hares II devours with avidity
II pursues cartridges and other birds TO
the tops of the Hottest trees. and IL even
kills fish In their native element. II has
no regard whatever for family ties. and
interprets the privileges of paternity pref
ty much as Count Ugolino did and like
him devours his children to preserve for
them a father. In winter its flesh Is by
no means bad to eat. and is much used
by both white and Indian hunters. It's
skin is worth from 81 to 81 according to
the season in which the animal Is killed
The loup-cervier is frequently met with
by American anglers in Canada by the
edge OF some fshy pool and /. H. Stearns
of Montreal. shot one by the banks OF the
Restigouche. Wallace Durand, of New
ark. n. j.. was equally fortunate by the
shore OF Lac Commissaire. and tells a
thrilling account OF his adventure. One
of the most curious OF his idioeyncrasies
OF the loup-cervier IL it's passion for per-
fumes, and particularly for thssfodor of
the castorcum. which forms the basis of
all the medicines used by trappers In ef-
fecting its capture. When shot In tree,