the last of the plainsmen-第42章

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t；　to　realize　that　the　best　of　life　lies　in　the　daily　needs　of　existence；　and　to　battle　for　them！

Nothing　could　be　stronger　than　the　simple　enumeration　and　statement　of　the　facts　of　Wallace's　experience　after　he　left　Jim。　He　chased　the　cougar；　and　kept　it　in　sight；　until　it　went　over　the　second　rim　wall。　Here　he　dropped　over　a　precipice　twenty　feet　high；　to　alight　on　a　fan…shaped　slide　which　spread　toward　the　bottom。　It　began　to　slip　and　move　by　jerks；　and　then　started　off　steadily；　with　an　increasing　roar。　He　rode　an　avalanche　for　one　thousand　feet。　The　jar　loosened　bowlders　from　the　walls。　When　the　slide　stopped；　Wallace　extricated　his　feet　and　began　to　dodge　the　bowlders。　He　had　only　time　to　jump　over　the　large　ones　or　dart　to　one　side　out　of　their　way。　He　dared　not　run。　He　had　to　watch　them　coming。　One　huge　stone　hurtled　over　his　head　and　smashed　a　pinyon　tree　below。

When　these　had　ceased　rolling；　and　he　had　passed　down　to　the　red　shale；　he　heard　Sounder　baying　near；　and　knew　a　cougar　had　been　treed　or　cornered。　Hurdling　the　stones　and　dead　pinyons；　Wallace　ran　a　mile　down　the　slope；　only　to　find　he　had　been　deceived　in　the　direction。　He　sheered　off　to　the　left。　Sounder's　illusive　bay　came　up　from　a　deep　cleft。　Wallace　plunged　into　a　pinyon；　climbed　to　the　ground；　skidded　down　a　solid　slide；　to　come　upon　an　impassable　the　obstacle　in　the　form　of　a　solid　wall　of　red　granite。　Sounder　appeared　and　came　to　him；　evidently　having　given　up　the　chase。

Wallace　consumed　four　hours　in　making　the　ascent。　In　the　notch　of　the　curve　of　the　second　rim　wall；　he　climbed　the　slippery　steps　of　a　waterfall。　At　one　point；　if　he　had　not　been　six　feet　five　inches　tall　he　would　have　been　compelled　to　attempt　retracing　his　trailan　impossible　task。　But　his　height　enabled　him　to　reach　a　root；　by　which　he　pulled　himself　up。　Sounder　he　lassoed　a　la　Jones；　and　hauled　up。　At　another　spot；　which　Sounder　climbed；　he　lassoed　a　pinyon　above；　and　walked　up　with　his　feet　slipping　from　under　him　at　every　step。　The　knees　of　his　corduroy　trousers　were　holes；　as　were　the　elbows　of　his　coat。　The　sole　of　his　left　boot；　which　he　used　most　in　climbingwas　gone；　and　so　was　his　hat。



CHAPTER　15。　JONES　ON　COUGARS

The　mountain　lion；　or　cougar；　of　our　Rocky　Mountain　region；　is　nothing　more　nor　less　than　the　panther。　He　is　a　little　different　in　shape；　color　and　size；　which　vary　according　to　his　environment。　The　panther　of　the　Rockies　is　usually　light；　taking　the　grayish　hue　of　the　rocks。　He　is　stockier　and　heavier　of　build；　and　stronger　of　limb　than　the　Eastern　species；　which　difference　comes　from　climbing　mountains　and　springing　down　the　cliffs　after　his　prey。

In　regions　accessible　to　man；　or　where　man　is　encountered　even　rarely；　the　cougar　is　exceedingly　shy；　seldom　or　never　venturing　from　cover　during　the　day。　He　spends　the　hours　of　daylight　high　on　the　most　rugged　cliffs；　sleeping　and　basking　in　the　sunshine；　and　watching　with　wonderfully　keen　sight　the　valleys　below。　His　hearing　equals　his　sight；　and　if　danger　threatens；　he　always　hears　it　in　time　to　skulk　away　unseen。　At　night　he　steals　down　the　mountain　side　toward　deer　or　elk　he　has　located　during　the　day。　Keeping　to　the　lowest　ravines　and　thickets；　he　creeps　upon　his　prey。　His　cunning　and　ferocity　are　keener　and　more　savage　in　proportion　to　the　length　of　time　he　has　been　without　food。　As　he　grows　hungrier　and　thinner；　his　skill　and　fierce　strategy　correspondingly　increase。　A　well…fed　cougar　will　creep　upon　and　secure　only　about　one　in　seven　of　the　deer；　elk；　antelope　or　mountain　sheep　that　he　stalks。　But　a　starving　cougar　is　another　animal。　He　creeps　like　a　snake；　is　as　sure　on　the　scent　as　a　vulture；　makes　no　more　noise　than　a　shadow；　and　he　hides　behind　a　stone　or　bush　that　would　scarcely　conceal　a　rabbit。　Then　he　springs　with　terrific　force；　and　intensity　of　purpose；　and　seldom　fails　to　reach　his　victim；　and　once　the　claws　of　a　starved　lion　touch　flesh；　they　never　let　go。

A　cougar　seldom　pursues　his　quarry　after　he　has　leaped　and　missed；　either　from　disgust　or　failure；　or　knowledge　that　a　second　attempt　would　be　futile。　The　animal　making　the　easiest　prey　for　the　cougar　is　the　elk。　About　every　other　elk　attacked　falls　a　victim。　Deer　are　more　fortunate；　the　ratio　being　one　dead　to　five　leaped　at。　The　antelope；　living　on　the　lowlands　or　upland　meadows；　escapes　nine　times　out　of　ten；　and　the　mountain　sheep；　or　bighorn；　seldom　falls　to　the　onslaught　of　his　enemy。

Once　the　lion　gets　a　hold　with　the　great　forepaw；　every　movement　of　the　struggling　prey　sinks　the　sharp；　hooked　claws　deeper。　Then　as　quickly　as　is　possible；　the　lion　fastens　his　teeth　in　the　throat　of　his　prey　and　grips　till　it　is　dead。　In　this　way　elk　have　carried　lions　for　many　rods。　The　lion　seldom　tears　the　skin　of　the　neck；　and　never；　as　is　generally　supposed；　sucks　the　blood　of　its　victim；　but　he　cuts　into　the　side；　just　behind　the　foreshoulder；　and　eats　the　liver　first。　He　rolls　the　skin　back　as　neatly　and　tightly　as　a　person　could　do　it。　When　he　has　gorged　himself；　he　drags　the　carcass　into　a　ravine　or　dense　thicket；　and　rakes　leaves；　sticks　or　dirt　over　it　to　hide　it　from　other　animals。　Usually　he　returns　to　his　cache　on　the　second　night；　and　after　that　the　frequency　of　his　visits　depends　on　the　supply　of　fresh　prey。　In　remote　regions；　unfrequented　by　man；　the　lion　will　guard　his　cache　from　coyote　and　buzzards。

In　sex　there　are　about　five　female　lions　to　one　male。　This　is　caused　by　the　jealous　and　vicious　disposition　of　the　male。　It　is　a　fact　that　the　old　Toms　kill　every　young　lion　they　can　catch。　Both　male　and　female　of　the　litter　suffer　alike　until　after　weaning　time；　and　then　only　the　males。　In　this　matter　wise　animal　logic　is　displayed　by　the　Toms。　The　domestic　cat；　to　some　extent；　possesses　the　same　trait。　If　the　litter　is　destroyed；　the　mating　time　is　sure　to　come　about　regardless　of　the　season。　Thus　this　savage　trait　of　the　lions　prevents　overproduction；　and　breeds　a　hardy　and　intrepid　race。　If　by　chance　or　that　cardinal　feature　of　animal　lifethe　survival　of　the　fittesta　young　male　lion　escapes　to　the　weaning　time；　even　after　that　he　is　persecuted。　Young　male　lions　have　been　killed　and　found　to　have　had　their　flesh　beaten　until　it　was　a　mass　of　bruises　and　undoubtedly　it　had　been　the　work　of　an　old　Tom。　Moreover；　old　males　and　females　have　been　killed；　and　found　to　be　in　the　same　bruised　condition。　A　feature；　and　a　conclusive　one；　is　the　fact　that　invariably　the　female　is　suckling　her　young　at　this　period；　and　sustains　the　bruises　in　desperately　defending　her　litter。

It　is　astonishing　how　cunning；　wise　and　faithful　an　old　lioness　is。　She　seldom　leaves　her　kittens。　From　the　time　they　are　six　weeks　old　she　takes　them　out　to　train　them　for　the　battles　of　life；　and　the　struggle　continues　from　birth　to　death。　A　lion　hardly　ever　dies　naturally。　As　soon　as　night　descends；　the　lioness　stealthily　stalks　forth；　and　because　of　her　little　ones；　takes　very　short　steps。　The　cubs　follow；　stepping　in　their　mother's　tracks。　When　she　crouches　for　game；　each　little　lion　crouches　also；　and　each　one　remains　perfectly　still　until　she　springs；　or　signals　them　to　come。　If　she　secures　the　prey；　they　all　gorge　themselves。　After　the　feast　the　mother　takes　her　back　trail；　stepping　in　the　tracks　she　made　coming　down　the　mountain。　And　the　cubs　are　very　careful　to　follow　suit；　and　not　to　leave　marks　of　their　trail　in　the　soft　snow。　No　doubt　this　habit　is　practiced　to　keep　their　deadly　enemies　in　ignorance　of　their　existence。　The　old　Toms　and　white　hunters　are　their　only　foes。　Indians　never　kill　a　lion。　This　trick　of　the　lions　has　fooled　many　a　hunter；　concerning　not　only　the　direction；　but　particularly　the　number。

The　only　successful　way　to　hunt　lions　is　with　trained　dogs。　A　good　hound　can　trail　them　for　several　hours　after　the　tracks　have　been　made；　and　on　a　cloudy　or　wet　day　can　hold　the　scent　much　longer。　In　snow　the　hound　can　trail　for　three　or　four　days　after　the　track　has　been　made。

When　Jones　was　game　warden　of　the　Yellowstone　National　Park；　he　had　unexampled　opportunities　to　hunt　cougars　and　learn　their　habits。　All　the　cougars　in　that　region　of　the　Rockies　made　a　rendezvous　of　the　game　preserve。　Jones　soon　procured　a　pack　of　hounds；　b