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

We were washing Tor gold among vi
. streams of the Wind River mountain
y and il was midsummer The IudiaI
\ were hostile and had given Ms >oVc"
close calls until we had penetrated tli
Businesses aud got beyond their rang
, ing ground.
We had on ibis morning moved on
camp about three miles down tie crecl
and I was not feeling at all well Will,
my partner Joe went back at-cr
second load looked for spot 10
which to rest for AN hour. Ten rod,
I 10 the west of The creek there was q
rocky blum and ten feet mp | saw the
/ mouth of q cave. 10 was distrcsSingly
| hot day, although deep among the
mountains. and sought the cave for lis
cool shelter Il was a place not over
eight feet long 10y three deep, a GREY
Ice among the Jagged blocks of lime
stone. and il was just the spot in which
10 rest had been working in Ice
cold water with the hot sun beating
down uu my head and was fcvcri>h
and hot 10y turns was. IN fact
little light headed and realized that
the cave and almost went TO sleep.
was browsing when | heard a slight
noise above me and was wide awake
NJ once From the lay Of the ground
| knew thar only a wild animal of
some ~oS could have gained the rocks
above,
For i've minutes / sat without move.
mcut able only 20 see directly In from
81 mo Then shadow appeared ou
the earth below me. The sun Va> 800
my back aud At the back of whatever
thing was mp there. and lis shadow
crrpt into view inch 10y inch In time
| made out the ears Ind head OF
mountain lion There WAS no miStak-
ng il Tor The head of any other ANA
mai From a lair higher mp among thc
rocks the animal had got my scent on
the morning breeze and had come
down TO stalk me. Down on the other
side of the brawlmg creek was my
rife. and | had even left my hunting
knife among the camp cquipage II
The lion was minded TO leap down CA
]
should be helpless.
had studied the beast from a huut-
ers point of view and therefore had
no trouble in reading what happened
during the next half hour. In the
first place. II lac had got my scent he
hau 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 IL watching bear or wolf ar
one OF his own species. but now and
then ne whined and seemed hit
afraid
When Toe returned lie would not
pass the cave but halt 100 feet away.
He had his rife and revolver with him
Missing me. be would call out. The
lion would not attempt to attack AN
armed man by daylight and at that dis
lance 4 seemed to me that the
beast must he watching some one near
er by. had not given the lay OF IN,
ground much attention, but was under
led from the cave in a northerly dircc
ton. parallel with the stream. Thi
would furnish cover for any one creep
! ing up to 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 record had ina som,
way struck our trail and was plann;nt
TO get our scalps. He was crcepn
up the ravine. and the lion was watch
ing him.
| could trace the progress OF the ma
by the actions OF the animal abov,
Sometimes the shadow included TIA
neck and shoulders Of the lion. am
sometimes il retreated altogethcl
Sometimes there was deepest silenc
for moment and then il was broke
10y whine or the clicking Of claw,
What | began TO fear as the minute
gllded away was that Joe would r,
turn and be shot by the lurking saVag
before the lion could interfere. Tla
he meant to spring when his pre-
came near enough had no doubt.
was just the sort Of situation to al
peal to II liOn-the cat aud the mouse.
BY watching the shadow and lister
ing to the movements OF the beast
was enabled 10 gauge the movement
OF the enemy in the ravine How nea
at hand he was when the lion tir,
caught sight of him could only que,
afterward ms looked over the groun,
Y but | made il about 200 feet He ha
the cover OF the powders and bush,
: for all that distance. but he move
with the greatest caution The near,
he approached camp the greater h
Y caution
Al fifty feet away he halted for IN
ten minutes. During this interval /
must have been surveying our cam
outfit and wondering why no one va
In sight With the suspicion Of h
race he probably scented some ambu,
on our part. knew when he can
! moving along again-when he w:
within thirty feet-twenty- | ha
now lost all fear that | was to becou
victim and was deeply interested
watching for the climax. The lion WI