196 A SPORTING PARADISE 



creature in the head. It was a lynx, or wild 

 cat (Felis canadensis\ and with a wonderful bound 

 it sprang from the bough, tearing up the ground 

 where it fell, and hurling itself from side to 

 side as it uttered horrible yells and moans. The 

 infuriated brute looked so terrible, that I dropped 

 my gun in my efforts to get out of the way. 

 I do not suggest that this wild cat had any 

 intention of attacking me, but his movements 

 were all in that direction, whether from anger 

 or blindness I cannot say. A more ferocious, 

 dangerous-looking creature I have never seen. 

 Its long, curved, acuminated claws were struck 

 out viciously, and so near to me that 1 deemed 

 it wisdom to beat an ignominious retreat and mount 

 my horse. For a long distance I could hear 

 the fiendish yells of the cat, notwithstanding the 

 fact that my horse galloped over hard stones and 

 rocks and made a considerable clatter with his 

 hoofs. On another occasion, I was riding one 

 night from Mattawa to Pettewana, when I became 

 conscious of two wild cats following me over 

 the fallen logs and rough wood on the side of 

 the road. I imagine they were male and female. 

 Their movements and gambols were very 

 graceful, and I drew aside to watch them with 



