TEE COUGAR AND LYNXES. 125 



it for half an hour, the dogs, which were running wildly 

 about in every direction, gave a loud yelp some distance 

 ahead of us, and kept up the canine music for ten minutes, 

 Avhen it suddenly ceased. We hastened onward, and in 

 about twenty minutes reached a narrow stream, and there 

 found the dogs beating up and down in search of the quar- 

 ry, but they made no effort to enter the water. Presum- 

 ing from their actions that the game, whatever it was, had 

 crossed the river, we waded through it to the opposite side, 

 and the dogs, after a little work there, found the trail 

 again, and declared it in the most vehement manner with 

 their voices. We followed them up promptly for a quarter 

 of a mile, and overtook them as they were grouped around 

 a tree and barking violently. Peering through the foliage 

 of the fir, we saw a large cougar perched on a low branch, 

 its green eyes, like an emerald furnace, glowing with rage, 

 and its tail swinging like a pendulum from side to side. 

 We could hear its deep purring audibly, and inferred from 

 this that it had little fear of its canine foes. It seemed to 

 pay little heed to us, but concentrated all its attention and 

 rage on the boisterous dogs, which disturbed its repose by 

 their cries. As my companion feared that some of the lat- 

 ter might be injured if the animal was not shot dead, he 

 asked me to fire at the same time that he did ; so we both 

 blazed away together, and the cougar came tumbling down 

 amidst a shower of leaves and branchlets. When it readi- 

 ed the ground the dogs attacked it vigorously; but as its 

 hip was only broken, it made a fierce fight, and placed one 

 of its assailants on the peace list by tearing a large slice of 

 flesh from the neck and shoulders with one sweep of its 

 lance -like claws. This catastrophe caused the others to 

 fight shy, and to jump at it only when it attempted to rise; 

 and these tactics kept its attention so constantly engaged 

 that it seemed to forget our presence completely. This 

 proved anything but fortunate, for my companion, think- 

 ing he could finish it without any trouble, rushed in to 

 place his revolver near its head ; but before he could pull 

 the trigger the animal turned on him suddenly, and raked 



