The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1906-10-06

huge mountain lion in the Cyclopean
darkness OF a mountain gorge; forced
into battle with giant condor
measuring II feet inches from wing
tip to wing tip; forced to hunt deer OF
starve In country where deer are
very scarce-these are few Of the
things that befell T. w. Gopher. OF
this city, recently while spending a
few days on the famous Malibu ranch
In Ventura county.
Copner's tale may sound bit full
OF the strenuous life, but he displays
a torn coat and lacerated shoulder
as marks of the fight with the lion,
the wings of the huge vulture which
he was forced to kill to save his own
life and a saddle OF smoked venison
which shows the gigantic proportions
OF the deer that once bore 1t.
The Malibu ranch lies on the wild.
est part of the southern California
coast, about 35 miles above Santa
Monica. So wild and so little trav.
eled by man is this country that Cop.
ner's party saw not soul save the
grizzled old mountaineer with whom
they boarded during the entire length
OF their stay.
The days trip had been a long,
hard one" said Gopher, land we were
not exactly looking for game or ex.
citement when we wound down the
narrow trail toward the Dexter cabin
It was about eight o'clock and dark
as pitch.
''Leear the gate is a giant oak tree,
with low, rambling branches. AS
passed under 1t heard a strange rat
ting noise in the limbs and leaves
overhead. With a glance upward l
saw the dark head of mountain lion
move out along large limb and could
dimly see the huge body Of the cat
creeping after. 1t seemed that ! could
see the flash of his white teeth in the
darkness and / could feel the low,
savage snarl he let go when he saw
me.
Instantly ] jumped; a heavy paw
grazed my shoulder, dragging my coat
to the ground, cutting the flesh
through the heavy clothing I wore,
and a long, 1.-THE object landed on the
ground beside me, almost exactly, in.
deed, on the spot where had been
standing.
II could not have been more than
eight feet away, and lost no time in
bringing the 5000 into play. I emp
tied six shots in the direction OF the
dark object. At the third OF these
heard a wild snarl. saw the black
body launch itself through the air,
directly toward me, and had just pres
ence OF mind enough to fall fat on
the ground. l could feel the wind
caused by the great beast in passing,
and / have no doubt l was as pale as
ghost the moment he went over me.
II seemed to feel, rather than hear,
the great beast light on the ground
beyond me, and with a bound gained
the shelter OF the side hills brushy
tangle, from whence, suppose, he
came"
Late that night, when the moon had
come out and the fog had fallen bit,
the hunters went out again, but could
find no trace OF the big cat. Next
day there was trail Of blood lead.
ing away from the scene of the en-
counter, but this soon led into rough
and rocky ground, and could not be
followed with any degree Of certainty,
80 the chase was given up,
Battle with the Scavenger.
On the third day of their stay at
the old ranch meat ran short, and the
party, dividing into two bands, struck
out to get deer. Gopher killed
deer about a mile from camp, and, as
the day was yet young, determined to
push on in search Of another buck.
To brighten away chance coyotes or
other small animals from the carcass
he covered It with his coat, laying
red bandana handkerchief on the top
Of the pile.
He made circuit Of some two or
three miles through the nearby can
yons, and, coming down on his deer
from above, was surprised to see,
seated on the carcass, bird of the
size of full-grown Newfoundland
dog. He recognized the creature as
one of the rare California condors, or
vultures, which now and then appear
in the coastwise hills, and shouted
to scare 1t from its feast, which he
could see was rapidly being torn to
pieces.
To his shouts the great bird paid
no attention. He walked nearer, and,
stories he had heard Of
the ferocity of the giant vulture when
Gopher fired shot from his
revolver over the birds head. There
is fine of some 5000 imposed for the
killing OF condor, and he had no
desire to incur the penalty, but he
could not bear to see his supper van
lshing into the NAV of the bird of
prey.
Still tho condor failed to move, but
continued to tear at the deer, from
which 1t had by this time stripped the
coat thrown over 1t for protection.