ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 
49 
The cougar climbs trees with surprising agility ; its cry is 
peculiar, closely resembling the wailing of a child, and in the 
early settlement of the country has sent a thrill of horror 
through a whole neighborhood. 
The following interesting account of the last recorded 
capture of the cougar in Canada was courteously handed to 
the writer by H. It. Gray, Esq., of Montreal, just previous 
to going to press: “ On October 3rd, 1863, as Jacques 
Gamelin, of La Baie Lavallieres, or St Francis, on the 
River St. Lawrence, and two other men, were proceeding 
in a bateau to Sorel, C. E., being at the time about four 
arpents (acres) from land, they were suddenly attacked by 
a large panther, which swam off and succeeded in laying 
hold of the boat. Not having fire-arms or other defensive 
weapons on board, they w^ere obliged to resist the attack 
with a boat-hook and oars, and after a lengthened struggle, 
during which the animal displayed great obstinacy combined 
with strength, he was at last killed, but not before he had 
actually succeeded in getting his powerful fore-paws on deck ; 
not being able to make his accustomed spring, in consequence 
of his hind-quarters being under water, he was incapable of 
injuring either of the men. He was killed and his body sent 
to Montreal, where it fell into the possession of and was 
stuffed by Mr. Craig, the well-known taxidermist.” Its 
weight was 131 lbs., — measured three feet from tip of the 
nose to the root of the tail. 
Hunters and surveyors build a large fire at night, which 
serves to keep this cautious animal at a distance. Under such 
circumstances, it will sometimes approach within a few rods 
of the fire, and they have been thus shot by aiming between 
the glaring eye-balls, when nothing else was visible. It will 
seldom attack a person in the day time, unless provoked or 
wounded. The following account, showing the strength and 
ferocity of this creature, is taken from Godman : “ Two 
hunters, accompanied by two dogs, went out in quest of game 
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