88 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



were futile. He had about given up all hope of his life 

 when he saw a large stone on the road, and seizing that 

 eagerly, and despite the assaults of his fierce foe, he 

 began to rain blows on the head of the latter with all his 

 strength for several seconds. These caused it to loosen its 

 hold on his arm and to drop to the ground ; and when the 

 farmer saw that, he hurled the stone with all his might at its 

 skull, and sent it crashing into the brain, killing it almost 

 instantaneously. "When the victory was won he fell in a swoon 

 from exhaustion and the loss of blood, and was in that condition 

 when he was found by a neighbour of his, who was going home 

 in a waggon. Both the combatants were placed in the vehicle 

 and taken back to town, for the man was so severely wounded 

 that surgical aid was promptly required, and there he remained 

 for two months before he was deemed sufficiently recovered to 

 go home. 



An acquaintance of mine while out grouse shooting one day 

 met two cougar kittens, apparently about three months old, 

 and chased them at once. Finding they would be overtaken, 

 they clambered up a young fir, and he followed in hot pursuit, 

 and soon had them by the nape of the neck. lie held them 

 in that position while he searched in his pocket for a piece of 

 twine with which to tic them, and during that time they were 

 " youling " loudly and trying to break away. Having secured 

 them, he was preparing to descend when a new foe, in the form 

 of their mother, appeared on the scene. She had evidently 

 deserted them for a few minutes to provide thorn with provender, 

 as she carried a large hare in her mouth. When she heard 

 their cries, and saw them in the arms of a Philistine, she 

 dropped the hare and bounded on to the lower limb of the tree, 

 which must have been at least fifteen or twenty feet high. 

 The hunter having left his gun on the ground, to enable him to 

 climb with greater facility, was in a quandary, as he had nothing 

 better than a pocket-knife with which to defend himself. He 

 was a man of readv resources however, and not caring to risk 



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his life or lose the youngsters, he concluded to await the 

 onslaught of their protector. When she clambered, or rather 

 sprung to the next limb, he was enabled to reach her with his 



