178 MAMMALIA—COUGAR. 
expressed his apprehensions to a single fellow-traveller, who was also un- 
provided with arms. In consequence, they resolved not to go to the camp- 
ing ground, but to pass the night in the woods without fire; there, turning 
their horses loose, they lay down in thei nkets on the leaves. Ir. the 
night they were aroused by hearing the S snort, as they are apt to do 
on the approach of Indians, and shortly after they were heard to make 
several bounds through the woods, as if some one had unsuccessfully 
attempted to catch them. After some time had elapsed, they both distinctly 
heard, what they supposed to be, a man crawling towards them on his 
hands and feet, as they could hear first one hand cautiously extended and 
pressed very gently on the leaves, to avoid making a noise, then the other, 
and finally the other limbs in like manner and with equal care. When they 
believed that this felonious visitor was within about ten feet of them, they 
touched each other, sprang up simultaneously, and rushed to some distance 
through the woods, where they crouched and remained without further dis- 
turbance. A short time after, they heard the horses snorting and bounding 
furiously through the woods, but they did not venture to arise until broad 
daylight, being still ignorant of the character of their enemy. 
“When sufficiently light to see, by climbing a sapling, they discovered 
the horses at a considerable distance on the prairie. On approaching them, 
it was at once evident that their disturber had been nothing less thana 
cougar. It had sprung upon the horses, and so lacerated with its claws 
and teeth their flanks and buttocks, that with the greatest difficulty were 
they able to drive the poor creatures before them to Shane’s. Several other 
instances of annoyance to travellers had happened at the same place, and 
Shane believed by the same cougar.” 
