Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-10-12
WHEATON AND THE PANTHER

WHEATON AND THE PANTHEE
Ben Wheaton was one OF the first settler
on the waters OF the Susquehannah, imlned
ately alter The war, rough, unculiivaied an
primitive man, AS many others OF the sam
stamp and character, he subsisted chiefly b.
hunting, cutiyating the land but sparnpl,
and IN this way raised q numerous famii
amid the woods, and 10 half starved con
dlilon, and comparative nakedness But
the Susquehannah country rapdly increas
ed IN population, the hunting grounds O
Wheaton were encroached upon so that ,
chance with the smooth bore, among III,
deers and bears, was greatly lessened. Or
this account Wheaton removed from III,
Susquehannah country, in Otsego county, t
the more unsettled wilds OF the Delaware
near place yet known by the appella,ior
oil VatfS settlement where game was NOR,
plenty. The distance from where he mad,
his home in the woods. through 10 the Sus
quehannah, was about fifteen miles and was
one continued wilderness at that time
Through these woods this almost aboriginal
hunter was often compelled 10 pass TO the
Snsqnehannah, for various necessaries and
among the rest no small quantity of wills
Key as he was Of very intemperare habits
On one OF these visits. in the midst OF sum.
mer, with his smooth bore always on his
shoulder, knife, Ratchet, &c in their proper
place, ne had nearly penetrated the distance,
when he became weary. and having come to
the summit OF ridge (sometime in the after
noon) which overooks the vale Of the Sus
quehannah, he selected a convenient place
N tho shade, as il was hot, for the rays OF
the SIM frn'i 49, ----'s -
, fuence through all the forest, wihere he lay
down 10 rest awhile among the leaves, after
having first took drink from his pint bottle
Of green glass, and mouthfu Of cold John
ney cake from his pocket.
In this situation he was soothed 10 drow-
siness by the hum of insects, aud the mo-
no,ony of the passing winds among the Toll
age around him. when he soon unwarily fell
asleep with his gun folded in his arms But
alter while he awoke from his sleep, and
. for moment or two still lay in the same pc.
si,ion, as it happened, without stirring,when
he found that something had taken place
while he had slept, which had situated him
somewhat differently from the manner IN
which he first went 10 sleep. On rejecting
moment, he found he was entirely covered
over, head and ears, with leaves and light
stuff, occasioned as he now supposed, either
BY the sudden blowing of the wind, or by
some wild animal On which account he
berame little disturbed in his mind, as he
well knew the manners OF the panther al
that season Of the year, when it hunts To sup
. port KS young and will often cover lis prey
with leaves and bring its whelps 10 the ban
quet He therefore continued TO lie perfect.
ly sill, as when he first awoke ; he thought
he heard the step Of some kind OF heavy AMI
NAL near him and knowing that if il were
Panther, the distance between himself and
death could not be far, il he should attempt
10 rise up Accordingly, as he suspected
after having lain a full minute, he now dis
tnctly heard the retiring tread OF the steal
thy Panther, Of which he had no doubt
from his knowledge of the creatures ways
II had taken but few steps however, wher
iagain stopped longer time still Whea
ton continued his silent position, knowing
his safety depended much on this. Soon thu
tread was again heard, farther and farlhe
off, till ii entirely died away in the distance
but he still lay motonless few minutes Ion
ger, when he ventured gently and cautiousl
10 raise his head and cast an eye in the dl
ANStiuu tue C|cdtuic, whatever " was ""'
gone bat could see nothing. He now ros
up with spring, for his blood had been run
ming from his heart to the extremities, AM
back again. with uncommon velocity; al
the while his ears had listened TO the step
oil the animal on the leaves and brush III
now saw plainly the marks Of design anon,
the leaves and that he had been coyere'
over, and that the paws of some creatur
had done it.
And as he suspected the Panther was To-
animal, he knew il would soon return to XII
|. him, on which account he made haste TO dc
ceiye it, and to put himself in situation I
give it a taste of the contents OF old smoot
bore He now seized upon some pieces
old wood WHICH lay all about, and placed a
much as was equal to his own bulk, exactl
where he had slept, and covered it over wit
leaves in the same manner the panther ha
done. and then sprang to tree near by, IN
to which he ascended, from whence he ha
a view good distance about him. and espt
clally in the direction the creature had gone
Here in the crotch of The tree he stood, vii
his gun resting across limb, in the direc
1 ton ofthe place where he had been left b.