the last of the plainsmen-第37节
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og climbed the trees and chased the lion out。 That's what Moze did！ I got to an open space and saw him； and was coming up fine when he went down over a hollow which ran into the canyon。 My horse tripped and fell； turning clear over with me before he threw me into the brush。 I tore my clothes； and got this bruise； but wasn't much hurt。 My horse is pretty lame。〃
I began a recital of my experience； modestly omitting the incident where I bravely faced an old lioness。 Upon consulting my watch； I found I had been almost four hours climbing out。 At that moment； Frank poked a red face over the rim。 He was in shirt sleeves； sweating freely； and wore a frown I had never seen before。 He puffed like a porpoise； and at first could hardly speak。
〃Where wereyouall？〃 he panted。 〃Say！ but mebbe this hasn't been a chase！ Jim and Wallace an' me went tumblin' down after the dogs； each one lookin' out for his perticilar dog； an' darn me if I don't believe his lion； too。 Don took one oozin' down the canyon； with me hot…footin' it after him。 An' somewhere he treed thet lion； right below me； in a box canyon； sort of an offshoot of the second rim； an' I couldn't locate him。 I blamed near killed myself more'n once。 Look at my knuckles！ Barked em slidin' about a mile down a smooth wall。 I thought once the lion had jumped Don； but soon I heard him barkin' again。 All thet time I heard Sounder； an' once I heard the pup。 Jim yelled； an' somebody was shootin'。 But I couldn't find nobody； or make nobody hear me。 Thet canyon is a mighty deceivin' place。 You'd never think so till you go down。 I wouldn't climb up it again for all the lions in Buckskin。 Hello； there comes Jim oozin' up。〃
Jim appeared just over the rim； and when he got up to us； dusty； torn and fagged out； with Don； Tige and Ranger showing signs of collapse； we all blurted out questions。 But Jim took his time。
〃Shore thet canyon is one hell of a place；〃 he began finally。 〃Where was everybody？ Tige and the pup went down with me an' treed a cougar。 Yes； they did； an' I set under a pinyon holdin' the pup； while Tige kept the cougar treed。 I yelled an' yelled。 After about an hour or two； Wallace came poundin' down like a giant。 It was a sure thing we'd get the cougar； an' Wallace was takin' his picture when the blamed cat jumped。 It was embarrassin'； because he wasn't polite about how he jumped。 We scattered some； an' when Wallace got his gun； the cougar was humpin' down the slope； an' he was goin' so fast an' the pinyons was so thick thet Wallace couldn't get a fair shot； an' missed。 Tige an' the pup was so scared by the shots they wouldn't take the trail again。 I heard some one shoot about a million times； an' shore thought the cougar was done for。 Wallace went plungin' down the slope an' I followed。 I couldn't keep up with himhe shore takes long stepsan' I lost him。 I'm reckonin' he went over the second wall。 Then I made tracks for the top。 Boys； the way you can see an' hear things down in thet canyon； an' the way you can't hear an' see things is pretty funny。〃
〃If Wallace went over the second rim wall； will he get back to…day？〃 we all asked。
〃Shore； there's no tellin'。〃
We waited； lounged； and slept for three hours； and were beginning to worry about our comrade when he hove in sight eastward； along the rim。 He walked like a man whose next step would be his last。 When he reached us； he fell flat； and lay breathing heavily for a while。
〃Somebody once mentioned Israel Putnam's ascent of a hill；〃 he said slowly。 〃With all respect to history and a patriot； I wish to say Putnam never saw a hill！〃
〃Ooze for camp；〃 called out Frank。
Five o'clock found us round a bright fire； all casting ravenous eyes at a smoking supper。 The smell of the Persian meat would have made a wolf of a vegetarian。 I devoured four chops； and could not have been counted in the running。 Jim opened a can of maple syrup which he had been saving for a grand occasion； and Frank went him one better with two cans of peaches。 How glorious to be hungryto feel the craving for food； and to be grateful for it； 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
