THE COUGAR AND LYNXES. 119 



come here to-night with the dogs and try and tree the old 

 thief when he comes after his spare grub." 



Our work being over for the time being, so far as the 

 cougar was concerned, we devoted the day to deer-hunting, 

 and returned in the evening with a splendid stag, which 

 we killed while he was vaulting over a jam of fallen trees 

 and branches seven or eight feet high. After a hearty din- 

 ner of venison, washed down with native wine, and a quiet 

 smoke, we again started to hunt up the disturber of the 

 previous night's repose. We marched direct to where it 

 had secreted the remnants of the pig, and taking a position 

 to the leeward in a dense thicket, we awaited its approach 



with intense anxiety, as V was most eager to avenge 



the loss of his faithful dog. We were concealed in shrub- 

 bery which grew with such luxuriance that the sky was 

 scarcely visible, but we were well supplied with pine torch- 

 es and matches ; so that, should we find the object of our 

 search, we could illumine its physiognomy long enough to 

 enable one of us to shoot it. While discussing in a hushed 

 tone how we should act under certain circumstances, our 

 position was made distinct by a bright light that seemed 

 to spread over a large tract of country. My companion 

 thought the woods were on fire, and expressed his fear that 

 it might extend toward his cabin ; but when I reminded 

 him that it came from the glade his apprehensions were 

 calmed, if not dispelled. We waited half an hour after that 

 for some signal of the approach of the quarry; but neither 

 hearing nor seeing anything of it, we were becoming rest- 

 less, when a fiery terrier started suddenly from covert and 

 ran yelping to the windward. Its companions followed, 

 and we followed all, and went scurrying and tumbling 

 through the underbrush in our efforts to keep up with 

 them. They suddenly halted, and when we approached 

 they commenced barking up a tree. We lighted our torch- 

 es, and swinging them in the wind to fan the flame, we es- 

 pied, amidst the foliage of a sturdy oak, the gleaming green 

 eyes of the cougar, and a tail that swung ominously to and 

 fro in measured movement. As my companion, who was 



