Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1906-01-18
A LIONS SPRING

W e. were Na~lllli- lfi %'lN 'li'''i'~
, stream, of the Wind River mountaH
} and il was midsummer. The Indian
! were hostile and had given us >cVC"
CLOSE calls until We had penetrated OBJ
Businesses and got beyond their r'hi
Ing ground.
We had on thI, morning moved ou
camp about three miles down the cree
and WAS not feeling at all well Will
my partner Joe went back ai-cr
second load looked for spot ID
which I'D rest for am hour. Ten rod
/ 10 the west OF The creek there WAS
/ rocky blum and ten feet mp | saw th,
mouth ~ "a cave. 10 was diStrcS~ugIl
hot day. although deep among th'
mountains. and sought the cave for 30,
cool shelter 10 was a place not Over
eight feet long 10y three deep. "a GREY
itc among the Jagged blocks OF lime
stone. aud it was just the spot in which
10 rest / had been working 100 BE-,
cold water with the hot sun beating
down ON my head. ami | was fcvcri>h
and hot 10y turns. ! was. iu fact 80
little light headed and realized that
was I sat leaning against the back ~
the cave and almost went 10 sleep ]
was browsing when | heard q slight
noise above me and was wide awake
nj once From the lay Of the ground
| knew that only wild animal of
some ~oY could have gained the rock
above.
For five minutes / sat without move
meut able only 10 see directly i'm front
OF mo Then shadow appeared ou
the earth below me. The sun WIS ar
my back. and az the back ~ whatever
thing was mp there. and its shadow
crrpt into view inch Icy inch. ln time
| made ont the ears and head OF "a
mountain lion There was no mi>tuk-
Ing il Tor the head of any other aui.
NAL. From a lair higher up among the
rocks the animal had got my scent ou
the morning breeze and had come
down 10 stalk me. Down ON the utlcr
side Of the Drawing creek was my
rifle. and ! had even left my hunting
knife among the camp equpage. n
the lion was minded to leap down Oh
The shelf 90 the front Of the cave. I
should be helpless.
/ had studied the beast from q huut-
er's point of view and therefore had
no trouble in reading what happened
during the next half hour I'm the
first place II lac had got my scent he
had also got that Of some one else.
Ii was not the scent Of another beast.
but Of a man. could tell that by
the nervous movements OF the beast |
could not see. He did not grow. aS
he would II watching bear or wolf or
one Of his own species. but now and
then he whined and seemed bit
afraid.
When Joe returned he would not
pass the cave. but halt 200 feet away.
He had his rlfie and revolver with him.
Missing me. he would call out. The
lion would not attempt to attack am
armed man by daylight and at that dis
lance. Il seemed to me that the
beast must he watching some one near.
er by. | had not given the lay Of the
ground much attention, but was under
the impression that a shallow ravin,
led from the cave in a northerly drec
ton. parallel with the stream. Thi,
would furnish cover for any one creep
ing up 10 view the site Of our new
camp and lie in ambush for us.
finally settled il in my mind that som,
Indian hunter or some young BRAY,
anxious TO make "a record had in som,
way struck our trail and was plann;n.
TO get our scalps. He was creepin:
up the ravine. and the lion was watch
ing him.
/ could trace the progress OF the maj
by the actions Of the animal above
Sometimes the shadow Included Tia
neck and shoulders OF the lion. an,
sometimes it retreated altogether
Sometimes there was deepest silenc
for moment and then il was broke
by whine or the clicking Of claw,
What | began TO fear as the minute
glided away was that Joe would re-
turn and be shot by the lurking Savag
before the lion could interfere. Tina
he meant to spring when his pre-
came near enough ! had no doubt.
was just the sort Of situation to al
peal to lion-the cat and the mouse
BY watching the shadow and listen
ing 10 the movements OF the beast
was enabled to gauge the movement
Of the enemy in the ravine. How nea
at hand he was when the lion tirs
caught sight OF him could only CUES
afterward as | looked over the ground
but | made it about 200 feet. lie ha,
the cover OF the powders and bushe
for all that distance. but he move
with the greatest caution. The neare
he approached camp the greater hi
caution.
At fifty feet away he halted for ful
ten minutes. During this interval h
must have been surveying our cam
outfit and wondering why no one wa
In sight With the suspicion of hi
race he probably scented some ambus
on our part. | knew when he cam
moving along again-when he wa
within thirty feet-twenty-ten. ha,
now lost all fear that was to becOm
victim and was deeply interested il