one heavy body after another striking the 

 ground, then the breaking of sticks, the 

 rustle of leaves and brush as the two ani- 

 mals raced up the steep hillside. The race 

 was punctuated by snarling, snapping 

 sounds, which died away in the distance 

 as the language fighters passed over the 

 ridge until the sounds finally became in- 

 audible. It was a dark night, and at no 

 time did we get a glimpse, even indis- 

 tinctly, of the scrappers. We are still 

 speculating and wondering who or what 

 they were. 



This story has been told to many hunt- 

 ers and trappers familiar with Adiron- 

 dack forests. Opinions have been sought 

 as to the probable identity of these bel- 

 ligerent animals. So far, no plausible or 

 reasonable suggestion has been made. 

 Some of the old-timers say the tale re- 

 minds them of experiences of fifty or 

 sixty years ago, when the bay-lynx, bob- 

 cat or wild-cat made these woods and 

 mountains their home and hunting 

 ground; but they have been exterminated. 



56 



