HUNTING THE COUGAR. 241 



if crowded assemblies of "beauty and fashion," or the 

 quiet enjoyment of your " pleasure-grounds," alone de- 

 light you, I must mend my pen before I attempt to give 

 you an idea of the pleasure felt on such an expedition. 



After marching fbij a couple of hours, we again heard 

 the dogs. Each of us pressed forward, elated at the 

 thought of terminating the career of the Cougar. Some 

 of the dogs were heard whining, although the greater 

 number barked vehemently. We felt assured that the 

 Cougar was treed, and that he would rest for some time 

 to recover from his fatigue. As we came up to the dogs, 

 we discovered the ferocious animal lying across a large 

 branch, close to the trunk of a cotton-wood tree. His 

 broad breast lay towards us ; his eyes were at one time 

 bent on us and again on the dogs beneath and around 

 him ; one of his fore legs hung loosely by his side, and 

 he lay crouched, with his ears lowered close to his head, as 

 if he thought he might remain undiscovered. Three balls 

 were fired at him, at a given signal, on which he sprang 

 a few feet from the branch, and tumbled headlong to the 

 ground. Attacked on all sides by the enraged curs, the 

 infuriated Cougar fought with desperate valor ; (See 

 Frontispiece;) but the squatter advancing in front of the 

 party, and almost in the midst of the dogs, shot him im- 

 mediately behind and beneath the left shoulder. The 

 Cougar writhed for a moment in agony, and in another 

 lay dead. 



The sun was now sinking in the west. Two of the 

 hunters separated from the rest, to procure venison, 

 vhilst the squatter's sons were ordered to make the best 



of their way home, to be ready to feed the hogs "in the 

 16 



