120 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIMALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



tlie l)C;ist \vas treed ; l>y ^^lli<■ll lie meant, that it Iiad got upon some low 

 branch of a large tree to rest for a few moments, and that should we not 

 succeed in shooting him when thus situated, we might exjiect a long ch.ase 

 of it. As we ap[>riiached the spot, we all, liy degrees, united into a body; 

 but on seeing the dogs at the loot of a large tree, separated again, and gal- 

 loped oir to surround it. 



"Each hunter now moved with caution, holding las gun ready, and 

 allowing his bridle to dangle on the neck of his horse, as it advanced slowly 

 towards the dogs. A shot from one of the party was heard, on which the 

 cougar was seen to leap to the ground, and bound olf with such velocity as 

 to show that he was very lui willing to stand our fire longer. The dogs set 

 oil' in pursuit with great eagerness and a deafening cry. The hunter who 

 had fired came up, ami said that his ball had hit the monster, and had 

 probably broki'U one t>f his fire legs, near the shoidder, — the only place 

 at which he could aim. A slight trail of blood Vias discovered on the 

 griiund, but the curs proceeded at such a rate that we merely noticed this, 

 and put spurs to our horses, which galloped on towards the centre of 

 the swam[>. One jiayou was ci'ossed, then another still larger and more 

 nmddy, but the d<igs were brushing forward, and as the horses liegau to 

 jiaiit at a furious rate, wc judged it expedient to leave them, and ad\ance 

 (pn i'ocit. These determined hunters knew that the cougar, being wounded, 

 would shortly ascend another tree, where in all probability he would remain 

 i'or a consi<lcrable time, and that it would be easy to follow the track of the 

 dogs. \'i'c dismounted, took olf the saddles aud bridles, set the bells at- 

 tached to the horses' necks at liberty to jingle, hoppled the animals, and 

 left them to shift for themsehes. 



" Alter marching for a coU[i!e of hours we again heard iIk; dogs. I'^ach 

 of us iircs>cd forward, elated at the thought of terminatin'j; the career of the 

 cougar. iSonie of the dogs were heard whining, although the greater luun- 

 l.!cr barked vehemently. V<'o i'elt assured that the cougar was treed, and 

 tliat he Would rest for some time to recover from his fatigue. As wc came 

 up to the dogs, wc discovered the ferocious animal lying across a largo 

 branch, close to the trunk of a cotton-wood tree. Ilis broad breast l;iy 

 towards us ; liis eyes were at one time bent on us, and again on the dogs 

 beneath and around him ; oi;e of his i'ore legs hung loosely by his side, and 

 I'.e lay couched, with his ears lowered close to his head, as if he thought ho 

 might remain undiscovered. Three balls ^^•ero fired at him, at a given sig- 

 nal, on which he sprang a few I'ett from the Iprauch, an<l tumbled headlong 

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

 cougar fought ^^■ith desperate valor ; but the squatter, advancing in front of 

 the parly, !u:d ahnost in the midst of tl;e dogS; shot him iuunediately behind 



