He thought it not possible that the mustang could wander to any considerable distance.

Indeed, he fully expected to find the utterly exhausted beast, who could no longer stand upon his legs, dead before morning.
Night was fast closing around him.

He began to look around for shelter.
There was a large tree blown down by the side of the stream, its top branching out very thick and bushy.

Crockett thought that with his knife, in the midst of that dense foliage with its interlacing branches, he could make himself a snug arbor, where, wrapped in his blanket, he could enjoy refreshing sleep.

He approached the tree, and began to work among the almost impervious branches, when he heard a low growl, which he says he interpreted to mean, "Stranger, these apartments are already taken." Looking about to see what kind of an animal he had disturbed, and whose displeasure he had manifestly encountered, he saw the brilliant eyes glaring through the leaves of a large Mexican cougar, sometimes called the panther or American lion.