1 08 SPOX TING A D VENTURES 



him by the arm, and attempt to drag- him away, but, owing to 

 the matted mass of briars, it could not move him sideways, and 

 it made no effort at any time to lift him up bodily and bear him 

 away, as cats generally do. Were it not for the briars, he thought 

 he would have been killed under any circumstances, for when the 

 animal pounced on his throat at one time, and its fierce breath 

 almost suffocated him, it was compelled to let go its hold 

 immediately, as one of the thorny stalks, which extended 

 across his face, got .into its mouth and pricked it so severely 

 that it had to lift its head several times to get it out, for it 

 stretched across the lower jaws, and was held there by having 

 one of the cougar's own legs resting on one of the ground 

 ends. While the animal was trying to relieve itself of this 

 disagreeable bit, the hunter used his knife on its throat to such 

 good advantage that he forced it to retreat a few seconds later; 

 and it was this fortunate accident that, undoubtedly, enabled 

 him to kill his assailant and save his own life. It was a 

 narrow scratch, however, which would have to yield first; and 

 were it not for the briar bush the hunter would, in all proba- 

 bility, have had to succumb, and be made into cat's meat 

 inside of twenty-four hours. 



I went after the slain animals the next day and brought them 

 to the house, with the aid of a boy, by tying them on a drag 

 made of the bough of a tree. On looking at them I found 

 that the one I had killed was a four-year-old male, but the 

 assailant which had done so much damage to the person of the 

 pioneer was a full-grown female that boasted exceedingly large 

 and dense claws, and long, sharp fangs. Her face, throat, 

 and abdomen were freely sprinkled with knife thrusts, and 

 her handsome hide was covered with blood from nose to flank. 

 After being skinned, the remains were thrown to the pigs, and 

 they went to feasting on the carcasses of animals which had 

 often made a feast oil' one of their company. When I left the 

 cabin, its owner was on the high road to recovery; but when 

 I saw him a year later he presented a disagreeable sight, his 

 face being as scarred as that of a Border ruffian. 



The cougar is, as must be apparent, no mean foe in a close 

 struggle, so persons who do not care to spoil their handsome 



