WITH THE COUGAR HOUNDS 35 



the other, the cliffs echoing their chiming. Jim and the 

 three bitches were in the lead, while Boxer fell behind, 

 as he always did when the pace was fast. 



Leading our horses, we slid and scrambled after the 

 hounds; but when we reached the valley they had passed 

 out of sight and sound, and we did not hear them again 

 until we had toiled up the mountain opposite. They were 

 then evidently scattered, having come upon many bare 

 places; but while we were listening, and working our 

 way over to the other side of the divide, the sudden in- 

 crease in the baying told Goff that they had struck the 

 fresh trail of the beast they were after; and in two or 

 three minutes we heard Jim's deep voice " barking treed." 

 The three fighters, who had been trotting at our heels, 

 recognized the difference in the sound quite as quickly 

 as we did, and plunged at full speed toward it down the 

 steep hillside, throwing up the snow like so many snow- 

 ploughs. In a minute or two the chorus told us that all 

 the dogs were around the tree, and we picked our way 

 down toward them. 



While we were still some distance off we could see 

 the cougar in a low pinyon moving about as the dogs 

 tried to get up, and finally knocking one clean out of the 

 top. It was the first time I had ever seen dogs with a 

 cougar, and I was immensely interested; but Stewart's 

 whole concern was with his camera. When we were 

 within fifty yards of the tree, and I was preparing to 

 take the rifle out of the scabbard, Stewart suddenly called 

 " halt," with the first symptoms of excitement he had 

 shown, and added, in an eager undertone : " Wait, there 



