The Cougar. 345 



were less shy than at present, there was more danger from 

 the cougar ; and this was especially true in the dark cane- 

 brakes of some of the southern States, where the man a 

 cougar was most likely to encounter was a nearly naked 

 and unarmed negro. General Hampton tells me that near 

 his Mississippi plantation, many years ago, a negro who 

 was one of a gang engaged in building a railroad through 

 low and wet ground was waylaid and killed by a cougar 

 late one night as he was walking alone through the swamp. 



I knew two men in Missoula who were once attacked 

 by cougars in a very curious manner. It was in 

 January, and they were walking 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 dumbfounded to see the man lying on his 

 face in the snow, with a cougar which had evidently 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, though 

 greatly amazed. 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 excited them beyond control, and they 



