338 The wilderness H^lnter. 



heralded approach of the beast was fairly ghost-like. With 

 its head lower than its shoulders, and its long tail twitch- 

 ing, it slouched down the path, treading as softly as a kit- 

 ten. I waited until it had passed and then fired into the 

 short ribs, the bullet ranging forward. Throwing its tail 

 up in the air, and giving a bound, the cougar galloped off 

 over a slight ridge. But it did not go far ; within a hun- 

 dred yards I found it stretched on its side, its jaws still 

 working convulsively. 



The true way to hunt the cougar is to follow it with 

 dogs. If the chase is conducted in this fashion, it is very 

 exciting, and resembles on a larger scale the ordinary 

 method of hunting the wildcat or small lynx, as practised 

 by the sport-loving planters of the southern States. With 

 a very little training, hounds readily and eagerly pursue 

 the cougar, showing in this kind of chase none of the fear 

 and disgust they are so prone to exhibit when put on the 

 trail of the certainly no more dangerous wolf. The cougar, 

 when the hounds are on its track, at first runs, but when 

 hard-pressed takes to a tree, or possibly comes to bay in 

 thick cover. Its attention is then so taken up with the 

 hounds that it can usually be approached and shot without 

 much difficulty ; though some cougars break bay when the 

 hunters come near, and again make off, when they can only 

 be stopped by many large and fierce hounds. Hounds 

 are often killed in these fights ; and if hungry a cougar 

 will pounce on any dog for food ; yet, as I have elsewhere 

 related, I know of one instance in which a small pack of 

 big, savage hounds killed a cougar unassisted. General 

 Wade Hampton, who with horse and hound has been the 



