208 THE COUGAR.
body, but on seeing the dogs at the foot of a large tree, separated again
and galloped off to surround it.
Each hunter now moved with caution, holding his gun ready, and allowing
the bridle to dangle on the neck of his horse, as it advanced slowly
towards the dogs. A shot from one of the party was heard, on which
the Cougar was seen to leap to the ground, and bound off with such velocity
as to shew that he was very unwilling to stand our fire longer.
The dogs set off in pursuit with great eagerness and a deafening cry.
The hunter who had fired came up and said that his ball had hit the
monster, and had probably broken one of his fore-legs near the shoulder,
the only place at which he could aim. A slight trail of blood was discovered
on the ground, but the curs proceeded at such a rate that we
merely noticed this, and put spurs to our horses, which galloped on towards
the centre of the Swamp. One bayou was crossed, then another
still larger and more muddy ; but the dogs were brushing forward, and
as the horses began to pant at a furious rate, we judged it expedient to
leave them and advance on foot. These determined hunters knew that
the Cougar being wounded, would shortly ascend another tree, where in
all probability he would remain for a considerable time, and that it would
be easy to follow the track of the dogs. We dismounted, took off the
saddles and bridles, set the bells attached to the horses"' necks at liberty
to jingle, hoppled the animals, and left them to shift for themselves.
Now, kind reader, follow the group marching through the swamp,
crossing muddy pools, and making the best of their way over fallen
trees and amongst the tangled rushes that now and then covered acres of
ground. If you are a hunter yourself, all this will appear nothing to
you; but if crowded assemblies of " beauty and fashion/' or the quiet
enjoyment of your " pleasure-grounds," alone delight you, I must mend
my pen before I attempt to give you an idea of the pleasure felt on such
an expedition.
After marching for a couple of hours, we again heard the dogs.
Each of us pressed forward, elated at the thought of terminating the
career of the cougar. Some of the dogs were heard whining, although
the greater number barked vehemently. We felt assured that the Cougar
was treed, and that he would rest for some time to recover from his
fatigue. As we came up to the dogs, we discovered the ferocious animal
lying across a large branch, close to the trunk of a cotton-wood tree.
His broad breast lay towards us; his eyes were at one time bent on us
and again on the dogs beneath and around him; one of his fore legs hung
loosely by his side, and he lay crouched, with his ears lowered close to Ins
head, as if he thought he might remain undiscovered. Three balls were
fired at him, at a given signal, on which he sprang a few feet from the
branch, and tumbled headlong to the ground. Attacked on all sides by
the enraged curs, the infuriated Cougar fought with desperate valour;
but the squatter advancing in front of the party, and almost in the midst
of the dogs, shot him immediately behind and beneath the left shoulder.
The Cougar writhed for a moment in agony, and in another lay dead.
The sun was now sinking in the west. Two of the hunters separated
from the rest, to procure venison, whilst the squatter's sons were ordered
to make the best of their way home, to be ready to feed the hogs in the
morning. The rest of the party agreed to camp on the spot. The
cougar was despoiled of its skin, and its carcass left to the hungry dogs.
Whilst engaged in preparing our camp, we heard the report of a gun,
and soon after one of our hunters returned with a small deer. A fire
was lighted, and each hunter displayed his pone of bread, along with a
flask of whisky. The deer was skinned in a trice, and slices placed on sticks
before the fire. These materials afforded us an excellent meal, and as
the night grew darker, stories and songs went round, until my companions,
fatigued, laid themselves down, close under the smoke of the
fire, and soon fell asleep.
I walked for some minutes round the camp, to contemplate the beauties
of that nature, from which I have certainly derived my greatest
pleasures. I thought of the occurrences of the day, and glancing my
eye around, remarked the singular effects produced by the phosphorescent
qualities of the large decayed trunks which lay in all directions
around me. How easy, I thought, would it be for the confused and agitated
mind of a person bewildered in a swamp like this, to imagine in
each of these luminous masses some wondrous and fearful being, the very
sight of which might make the hair stand erect on his head. The thought
of being myself placed in such a predicament burst over my mind, and
I hastened to join my companions, beside whom I laid me down and slept,
assured that no enemy could approach us without first rousing the dogs,
which were growling in fierce dispute over the remains of the cougar.
At daybreak we left our camp, the squatter bearing on his shoulder
the skin of the late destroyer of his stock, and retraced our steps until
we found our horses, which had not strayed far from the place where we
o