Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-05-02

dow Q1u not even STUN the DfuIe. 1IS
reach was as long as that of the gun
and with swipe of fore paw pulled
the man to the ground and on the I'M
der side. 1t snapped at his throat, but
caught him by the shoulder
The brave dog, springing to the aid
of its master, endeavored to seize the
lion by the throat. The big brute re-
leased its hold for an instant. and a
blow of one paw sent the dog nearly
ten feet, laying open its side to the
ribs. The man could not rise with the
weight of the lion on him, but the di-
version caused by the dog gave him an
opportunity to twist his body and draw
his knife, on which he had been lying.
He buried the knife in the lions side,
and with fearful scream the animal
again buried its fangs in his shoulder,
giving it terrible crunch and at the
same time using its claws. Again and
again he piled the knife, though blind
ly, as he was rapidly losing strength.
Yet the soft thud and the gush Of
warm blood that poured over him told
that each thrust went home. The last
thing he remembered was seeing his
dog crawling forward to renew the at
tack.
For all his strength and agility
mountain lion cannot whip a bighorn
ram. AT least ]. S. Crawford says it
cannot Crawford is a well known
miner in the southwest and a man of
truth. He and his partner were down
in the San Pedro Martin country in
Baja, Cal, yet paradise for sports
men who prefer the rifle to the shot
gun. At one point the mountain as
cended in the form of natural terraces,
and along one of these wound the In
dian trail on which they were slowly
climbing to their camp up among the
pines.
1t was hot-awfully holland they
were hugging the inner side of the ter
race to avoid the rays of the afternoon
sun when their attention was attracted
by a series of peculiar sounds on the
terrace below. They cautiously crawled
to the edge and looked over. Probably
seventy-five feet below them on the
next shelf was a strange spectacle. An
immense bighorn ram and a mountain
lion were facing one another at a dis
lance of about twenty-five feet. and
there was every evidence that Il battle
royal was in progress. The miners
f1attened themselves behind the bushes
growing along the edge and prepared
to be entertained.
The position of the lion was that of a
cat crOuched on his launches. ears back
and splitting at some vicious little ter
riers. The ram, carrying a magnificent
pair of horns, stood squareIy on his
feet, his body braced slightly forward.
At times he stamped viciously and
shook his horns, at which times the
lion would raise a fore paw and show
his fangs through a snarl. The ground
indicated that the fight had been in
progress for some time and that the
men had happened along between
rounds But the wait was not long.
The lion crouched and moved forward
stealthily, while the ram braced him
self more firmly, but never gave an
inch.
From a distance of about fifteen feet
the lion leaped, with paws widespread.
and at the same instant the ram rose
on his hind feet and, launching his body
forward, struck the lion fearful jolt
SQuarely in the chest. Down came the
lions paws, but they only scraped
harmlessly along those hard, ridged
horns. Both fell together, but quicker
than that of the lion was the recovery
of the ram, and he hurled his at least
200 pounds literally with battering ram
force broadside against the lion. There
was something like a human "huhr' as
the blow landed. and the next instant
the ram was back and braced to meet
another charge. This time the lion cir
cled cautiously. as if on n pivot. ever
narrowing the distance, but the ram
always kept his horns to the front,
leaving no opening. Closer and closer
crept the lion, seeking for an opportu-