The Cougar 159 



ner. It was in January, and they were walk- 

 ing home through the snow after a hunt, each 

 carrying on his back the saddle, haunches, 

 and hide of a deer he had slain. Just at dusk, 

 as they were passing through a narrow ravine, 

 the man in front heard his partner utter a 

 sudden loud call for help. Turning, he was 

 dumfounded to see the man lying on his face 

 in the snow, with a cougar which had evi- 

 dently just knocked him down standing over 

 him, grasping the deer meat; while another 

 cougar was galloping up to assist. Swinging 

 his rifle round he shot the first one in the 

 brain, and it dropped motionless, whereat the 

 second halted, wheeled, and bounded into 

 the woods. His companion was not in the 

 least hurt or even frightened. The cougars 

 were not full grown, but young of the year. 

 Now in this case I do not believe the beasts 

 had any real intention of attacking the men. 

 They were young animals, bold, stupid, and 

 very hungry. The smell of the raw meat ex- 

 cited them beyond control, and they probably 

 could not make out clearly what the men 

 were, as they walked bent under their bur- 

 dens, with the deer skins on their backs. Evi- 

 dently the cougars were only trying to get at 

 the venison. 



