Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-02-28
! Nh Adventure WITH a
Cougar,

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
wherever hunters and dogs abound
\, cougar, if found at all, is a tlmid'
|s,inkipg. yoiceless brute, lighting
(,v when brought to bay. 1t learns
Ia Dractices infinite caution. Hence
4, hesst has fallen into a certain con-
|.n,t latter-day naturalists even deny
|ht f gives voice to the long, quaver-
Ii cry that was formerly attributed
I'M But have often heard that cry,
| M know. too. that the tanned, man
upt.d cougar differs from it's con-
Sses of the mountain wilds, some
sat as the Moravian Indian differed
pn the savage Shawnees of old.
The adventure | am about to relate
rured near French Creek, in the
Mack Hills of Dakota, in August, 1876
a region then untrodden by white
lu except little bands of miners, who
ID recently gathered along this creek,
hi the exploring expeditions Of Cen
al Custer and Professor Jenney. Rich
gold and silver though they are,
h Black Hills had been guarded at
Fay avenue Of approach by thousands
hostile Sioux. They themselves
Ee deferred by traditions and SUI
FRtitiOns from much venturfng with
the shadows of their black pines;
that We found there no trace of abo-
gnal habitatiOns, permanent or tran
at
There was a solemn and wonderful
aOsphere in that primitive wilder
& Its denizens. unscared by men,
Fd0m fled at first approach. The
hehen sat upon limb of bush or tree,
cooked its head without fear. The
dun mule-deer approached the lone
3pector with open-eyed, curious
R' and if not stopped by bullet,
Sld often come within a few steps
MIN. The grizzly bear actually
ae INTO camp to be killed, for he had
'ef before found his path barred by
Saeatures. And there the cougar,
WI hunted, knew not fear of man.
Ell our camp on a warm Sunday
anOOn for stroll among the hills,
IRON force Of Sunday habits I left
gun IN my tent. AS | dislike to feel
'eoNer banging against my hips,
'Fa' Ior my walk unarmed.
'ae course Of half an hour, alter
Wy Walking and scrambling I came
AF mead Of the gulch and out upon
Ivusn slope surmounted by cap
49, Shich formed the highest hill
'''nln reach. Along the base OF
Naffed and assured rocks grew
'pns pine, brier and raspberry
,S gearing ripe fruit. Many ber-
laa fallen, and more had been
s'u Oy the bears and birds, but
su YET remained, red and luscious
~. .D'Sa NE with palatable after.
Der relish
s.s WI mad eaten all l could, 1 re-
- " climb to summit of the
4, ua' | might get a more ex.
~ We" OF the beautiful region
.,sr ,t0Vn those lookout heights was
,Dli Ma ,aSk, sought for a great cleft
no' ' III Inc rocks, which offered ar
rs Inc of ascent along one steer
rugged face.
s The assured surface of thi,
~ nv 'anced Slowly and cautiously
t1 w Slantwise, now on my hand.
b0sH tS' and again drawing myself
W., W clutching rocky projec
b. tsa ,4 !. my fingers. AS l passed
rdsa ,ase OF the cleft, it deepenet
no, susa, and the ascent becam,
hr ~ ullhcult and perilous. Below
Fsnr ~ steep inclines, each with ;
tsrsd DS NIL rise of rock points AM
n pAeS, reaching to a dizz,
lSps t "ueN almost despaired O
nsS larther, and when descen
sp,fa aually dangerous, l reached
a hin VI the rock, where Their
and th oll and clustering junipe
lbips II mere saw an easier way o
D s6oro Vie summit, still fifty fee
viii Scanned the ascent I Law. puf
ppop m'. tired and heated
b bIor why face &C to rest. A coo
ay eb ~,ls through the cleft fan
atoa tho Nc, and l enjoyed in an
y AWAITS 'and expanse of horizo,
Aia tbos NE on the heights ~
De swaro several minutes, when
} Of son's with quick and Green
ad WIN, TSst magnetic presence clos clos
Could nat tb Sort Of creature was
aised NV mus make itself felt?
etively to mead, turned my fac
ny ris,t toward the wall Of roc,
desetiSS nt l. and found myself look
lsups a.. INTO the yellow-greer
grea, eyes of great red coupa,
eoa a sb ba. had crept stealthil
b noon shelter 81 of bush and roc,
''n Its stomach, facing. m,