Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-04-16
WHEATON Avn THE PANTHER.


the act OF smuggling conuaband goods
WHEATON AND THE PANTHER.
Bxs Whe.,os vas one Of the frst st,ikfs on
the sstsrs Of the Sasqoshonns. immediately after
tho var. o roseh. unealtvsicd and rrimiii,e mao.
Lks oshers az the same s'nmp and character, he
sstsisied oLisay By beniing, eul,i,sting The land
bot srsfirsly, bod in this way raised q scmsrovs
fsuiy amidst the woods and 10 half starved COZ
d,'oo. and comparative uskedncss. bat IS ID.
Sesqochsnpa county rapidly increased In poPuls
ucs, the hsuiing grounds Of Wheaton wcte en-
crosebed opon. 90 that ehsncc with the smooth
bore smopg tho deers and bears was grtstiy less
s5ed. On this seeoont Wheaton removed from
the Sssqoehsnns country IN o,sego county, 10 the
moro unsettled eopnsrv Of tho Delaware, near
place yet kncwt BY the name OF VISITS settlement,
where game vas more plenty. The distance from
where he made bis home in the woods, through TO
fhe Susqsehsrns, was about ffy miles, and con-
,iuued wilderness 81 That time. Through thsse
woods This almost aboriginal hunter was oilea COM
PEELED TO psssss to the susquchanns, for various
nceesssrics, and among the res, no email quantity
Of whiskey. &C be was Of very incorporate habits.
% ono of these visits In the mds, Of summer,
with his smooth bore on hs shoulder, knife batch
-s,, ts. in their proper place. he bad nearly PEN
. strsied the Distance, when he became weary. and
having cone 10 the summit Of ridge --some,ime
in the afterpoou--waich oycrlooks the vale OF the
Easquehsnns, he selected convenient place in the
sMce, ss IL was hot. for the rays Of the sun from
the ives. poured hts soltry influence through all the
forest. where ne lay down to res, awhile among
tho lesses, afcr taking drink from his pint bot
tie Of green giass, and mouthfol Of cold Johnny
cake from his pocket.
In this situation be was soothed to drowstness
by the hum Of insects. and the monotony OF the
passing Winds among the foliage around him, when
ho soon unwsrly fell asleep With his gun folded IN
bis arms. But AFTER wnIe he awoke from his
elsep. and for nomen, or two e,ill lay in the
ssms position. ss IL happened. without stirring,
when he fourd that something bad taken place
while he slept, which had situated him somewhat
differently rom the manner in which no first went
to sleep. On rejecting a moment, he found he
was entirely covered over. head and ears, with
leaves and light stoff, occssioned as he now sup
posed. either by the sudden blowing Of the wind,
or some wild animal. On which account he be-
cane q littlo disturbed in his mind, as he well
anew die manners Of the panther when it hunts to
support hs young, ard will often cover it's prey
with leayes aud bnng its whelps to the banquet.
He therefore continued 10 be perfectly STILL as when
ho frat swokc, when be heard the steps Of some
kind Of heavy animal near him and knowing II II
were panther Tho distance between himself and
death could no, be far If he should attempt to rise
pp. Accordingly as he suspected, after waiting
full minute, he now distinctly heard the retiring
tread Of a stesithy panther, Of which he had M
doubt from his knowledge Of the creatures ways
II mad takea bot few steps. however, when i
again stopped = longer time; sill Wheaton con
sinued his silent position. knowing his safety de-
beaded much on this. Soou the tread was agar
beard, farther and farther of, until It entirely dse,
away In the distsnce-but he still lay motiones
few minutes longer, then he sen,ored gently am
cautiously to mise his bead and cast on eye IN th
direction Of the creature. Whatever it was, 1t hal
gone, aud be saw nothing. lie now rose up wit,
q spriug, for his blood had been running from Ii
heart TO the cnrem,ics snd back again with un
common velocity, all the while his ears had listen
Cd to the steps Of the animal on the iesves On
brush. lie now saw plainly the marks of desig
among the leaves, and that he had been covere
over. and that the paws Of some creature had don
II. And il, ss no suspected. a panther vas ih
animal, he knew il would return to kill him, o
which account he made haste 10 deceive il, and I
put himself 10 q situation 10 give II taste Of III
contents Ct old smooth bore. He now seized upo
some pieces Of old wood which lay about, on
placed as much ss was equal TO his own bulk, ea
aeliy where he slept, and covered 1t all over wit
leaves in the same manner the panther had don,
and then sprsng to tree near by, into which b
ascendsd, from whence he had view good di,
lance about him. aud especially in the directo
the creature had gone. Here in the crotch Of II
tree he stood. with his gun resting across linn
in the direction Of the place where he had bee
ka BY the panther, looking sharply as fer anon
the woods as possible, 10 the direction he expeets
tho creatures re,urn. But be had remained in ,h
position bot shor, Time, aud had barely thru
the ramrod down the barrel Of his piece, to be SUI
the charge vac in, and toexsmipe her prui,ng. al
shut down the pan slowly. SO that il should u
snap, and thus mske noise. wien his keen lnd'
eye. for syeh he had caught glimpse Of mo
s,rous panther, leading wariiy two panther kite
towards her Intended supper.
Nov matters were hnstenng to climax -spdl
when wheatoe or the panther should finish th'
hunting on the snovnssiss Of the Sesqaehanas,
AZ old smooth bcro shoeh aash in the pan or M
her aim. the de wcold be cast, a. a secood 10
would be smpcssiblcere her claws would have 81
Ser<d ms heart strings in tho tree where he ~s
OF II he shoalt but partially wound her. the ss'
mus, bSve been hs faIe. Daring lbese thougi
the panther had hid her young under some brsl
nd ksd f.nf af,