LASSOING A PUMA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2343, 26 January 1899, Page 58

LASSOING A PUMA.

(C. F. Holder, in the New York Ledger.)

We were going down a small canyon on the derert side of the Sierra Madras, and had reached an open place that had once beon a wash, but was now overgrown with low bush of various kinds, and gotten partly over it, when one of the cowboys of the party suddenly whispered " HushJ" and pointed ahead. There were five of ua in the party, and we had been on a wild horse hunt. Throe of the men were expert vaqueros, and could rope a steer or a broncho in less time than it takes to tell it. The object which called the halt was a creature that looked at first like a.big tan-coloured greyhound. It stood by the side of a dear, and a second look showed us that it iraa the "leon del monte" or mountain lion. He was a big fellow, and a3 he looked up and raised his fine head he might well have been taken for a lion. As we came down the canyon we had spread out, forming a semicircle as we stopped. The lion would have to break through the lines to reach the mountains or take to the low hills on either side where he could" Be easily shot ; on the other side was the limitless desert. The animal did not stand on ceremony. He gave one fierce glance at us, then with a growl, sprang over the body of the deer and made for the low hills on the right. The entire party sprang forward, but the cowboys were ahead, and before a rifle-shot could be fired they had swung their lariats from the saddle and were close al'tes the big cat. The distance across the clearing was about 100 yds, and the lion bounded over it with remarkable speed ; but an avenging Nemesis was behind. He reached the edge of the canyon, sprang lightly up the side, and in a moment would have been safe; but as, he scrambled vp — whiz! went three lariats, three horses settled back upon their haunches and the " leon del monte," with a wild scream of rage, fell backward, biting at the ropes that had wound about his head and legs. Two of the lariats had token effect, and the men now separating, the lion was held in opposite directions, snarling, screaming, biting, and kicking up the rocks in a fierce struggle to escape ; but the hide ropes held him securely, and escape was out of ihe question. With a whiz the other lariat went whirling through the air again, deftly falling over the head of the big cat that now sullenly to the rocks, lashing his tail fiercely, while his eyes reflected with a greenish light the fury that burned within. It was high jinks for the cowboys to lariat a mountain lion — their mortal enemy; the animal that killed off the dcci and antelope, and did not hesitate to mutilate a cow or horse if occasion demanded.

As camp was but half a mile or so away, it was proposed to take the lion down — not an easy tusk. It was dragged out into the centre of the canyon, screaming defiantly, one man at either side, while the third kept behind. The ropes were shortened up to about 20ft, and as one of the Horses came near the vicious animal leaped at it with a terrific bound, and would have landed fairly upon, the broncho and rider had not the opposite lariat stopped him in mid air, bringing him down heavily upon his back. Without trained horses and skilled hands such an attempt would have been impossible, but, as it was,the lines were shortened up and the lion stood captured, yet defiant, the centre of the triangle. At the word the party moved ahead, dragging the American king of beasts along. How he pulled back, snarling and growling ! Now clinging upon one side, leaping at another, and eyeing the horse and rider behind — an animated fury held by three small ropes and the cowboys whose sturdy bronchos hauled him along with the greatest ease. Over the stones he went and through the bush until finally the big sycamore, which marked the camp, was reached. Here he was fastened and kept for several weeks — a pet in name, but a perfect fury in point' of fact.