The Ordway new era., 1906-09-28

into . battle with 4 giant condor
measuring ii feet Inches from winl
tip to wing tip: forced to hunt deer o
starve In q country where deer AR
very scarce-these are q few Of tn
things that befeil T. w. Copner. o
this city. recently while spending
few days on the famous Malibu ranci
In Ventura county.
Copner's tale may sound bit fui
of the strenuous life. but he display
torn coat and lacerated shoulder
rs marks OF the fight with the lion
the wings OF the huge vulture which
he was forced to kill to save his oSr
life and q saddle Of smoked venisor
which shows the gigantic proportions
Of the deer that once bore II.
The Malibu ranch lies on the Wild
est part OF tho southern CaliforRia
coast. about IS miles above Santa
Monica. So wild and SO little traV
eied by man Is this country that Cop
ner's party saw not q soul save the
grixxled old mountaineer with Whosn
they boarded during the entire length
OF their stay.
The days trip had been long
hard one" said Copner. "and 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
",<car the gate is giant oak tree.
with low. rambling branches. As l
passed under II heard strange rat.
| Ting noise In the limbs and leaves
overhead. With a glance upward i
saw the dark head OF mountain lion
! move out along n large limb and could
dlmly see the huge body Of the cat
creeping after. 1t seemed that could
see the fash OF his white teeth In the
darkness and | could feel the low.
savage snarl he let go when he saw
me.
INSTANTLY jumped: n 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.
ubA nave Uttl Auau
eight feet away. and | lost no time in
bringing the 1880 into play. ! emp
tied six shots In the direction OF the
dark object. At the third q these
| heard = Wild snarl. saw the black
body launch itself through the air.
directly toward me. and had Just pres.
ence OF S,nd enough to fall Gat on
the ground. ! could feel the wind
caused by the great beast In passing.
and have no doubt was rs pale as
a ghost the moment he went over me
Il 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
tlngle. from whence. l 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.
30 the chase was gwen up.
Battle with the seaveneer.
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. Copner killed n
deer about n mile from camp. and, as
the day WIS yet young. determined to
push on In search OF another buck.
To frighten away chance coyotes or
other small animals from the carcass
he covered II with his coat. laying n
red bandana handkerchief on the top
Of the pile.
He made a 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 a 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,
remembering stories he had heard of
the ferocity OF the giant vulture when
angered. Copner fred shot from his
revolver over the birds head. There
is fine Of some 5000 imposed for the
kiIling OF condor. and he had no
desir. to incur the penalty. but he
could not bear to see his supper van.
ishing into the nav Of the bird OF
prey.
Stiil the condor failed to move, but
continued to tear at the deer. from
which IT had by this time stripped the
l cnaf thrnwn nYAr Il for feet inn