The National tribune., 1903-10-22

offered therefore to us his rear for a tar
get. l took aim quickly. while he ira
verscd mn open space between the bushes,
md fired. We heard the tlrud of the bull
let upon flesh distinctly, and saw the bear
give shake. But he did not stop. For
short time we could not see him, rs he
had entered n thickct growing well up to-
wards the ridge on our right, but we could
at all times guess pretty closely where he
was by the noise he made forcing his way
! through the brush and the rocks that came
tumbling down the side of the ridge. Soon
he emerged from the thcket and stood
for moment in plain view. looking down
at us. While doing so he turned Side
ways and showed plain dark silhouette
against the lsht-Gray rocks behind him.
Before / was ready to take aim Charou-
leau took advantage OF this suspicious in
slant and sent bullet behind the bears
left shoulder straight into his heart. He
made sort of leap that brought him
standing upon his hind legs. but for a mo
ment only. Presently he fell over on
his side and rolled down the ridge until
stopped by group of Young trees. where
we found him dead. The distance ira
verscd by Chnroue,u's bullet WAS about
go yards. The bear was n fine male
specimen OF his rnce. although the skin
might have been in better condition for
rug or buggy robe. My bullet had
struck him in the tlIickest part of but
took and had therefore not disabled him.
During the following day we rested
from our fatiguing tramp. / felt some
what sore over, my. useless shot ut the
bear, although under the circumstances the
best hunter could probably not have hit
4 vital spot. unless his bullet broke the
backbone just under the hump between
the shoulders. At all events, | made up
my mind that l would furnish n succu
lent breakfast for the next day. to consist
Of tender quail that aboundcd along the
creek. For this purpose carefully cleaned
and loaded fine shotgun. with the inten-
tion of starting on my errnnd before day
break. We all slept on cots in front of
the house, under the porch. which ran
along the whole front of the building.
Towards midnight we were awakened by
the CHATTER of hoofs. a rider approached
and halted In front of the porch. calling
for Don Pedro (MonsicIIr Pierre. lie
was one of the latter's Mexican herdcrs.
all Of whom had orders to report forthwith
all signs md tracks of large game OBJ
served while on their rounds. This man
stated that towards nightfall lion had
emerged from mountain gorge. and
seized fat young calf. with which he
had run off into a wooded hollow. The
moon had come up about that time; he
had followed cautiously upon the course
of the robber, had seen him bite the calf's
neck through and dcyour part Of it. after
which he (the lion had carefully hidden
| the carcass in a cavc-like hollow to which
he 1.-THE hcrler) comld easily find his way.
That the lion would without doubt return
| TO his prey for breakfast, and II we
| mounted quickly we should in all proba-
biity be able to reach the place in good
time and kill the maraudcr.
SEEKS LION.
Such an opportunity could not be neg
iected. We saddled up Mt once and armed
ourselves. The ma jordomo. who had ar
rived from the range during the evening
slept at the house, readily consented TO
20 with US. He and Don Pedro armed
themselves with rifles. while the Mexican
herder and myself carried carbncs; all
| had, of course, rcvplVcrs. The hcrdci
led us over hill and dale for Mt least three
hours, during which our plans OF cam
paign were thoroughly discussed and ar
ranged. About 3 O'Clock a. m. while the
moon was shining full. we dismomntcd.
descended into the river bed and followed
il up over and between hOuldcrs until We
came into sort of kcttlc-shapcd dcprcs-
sion surrounded by a grove of cottonwood
trees that stood up high above the sur
rounding dense bushes. In the middle of
| this kettle there lay apparently a small
heap of twigs. branches and leaves, sur
rounded by rocks scattered about in irrci,
ular groups. Although we could plain.
~ see this heap in the rays of the moon
which penetrated freely through the trees
we failed to discover the dead calf OF
any sign OF it. Our hcrder, however
protested that it was hidden there. A
he knew almost to n certainty from which
direction the lion would come he posted
us in n semicirclc. distant about - yards
from the heap. in such manner that
the wind, which was blowing with som.