Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-07-24

III tne e0Se OF Il small cane DTedk 1
threw off my burden, to enable me to
use my rifle with more ease and certain
ty. He Immediately made his appear
ance, and | retreated, leaving the deer
between us.
When he came TO the carcase, he
then stopped, placing one foot on it his
eyes on me, and mine on him. He was
the largest animal of that species had
ever seen, and the distance was not
more than twenty-five yards between
US. After looking at him a few mo.
ments, brought my rifle to bear upon
his head-at the report Of which he fell.
| remained in the position until | had
reloaded my rifle, when approached,
as supposed my dead panther; but, to
my surprise, he rose and made the best
of his way to the cane he had Just left.
| had shot him too low, / followed him
from one small cane break to another
for near an hour, and finding that |
could not get second shot at him, a.
bandoned the pursuit, turning in search
of the deer | had unburdened myself,
of on my first encounter with the PAN
lher. soon found it, and resumed my
supposed course toward camp. BY
this time it had become cloudy. and |
had no means of ascertaining the cer>
tainty Of my situation; however, tra>
yelled on, and soon found, by coming
in contact with small stream Of wa
ter, that | was pursuing wrong, direc.
toni turned and found another
stream, | then came to the painful con-
clusion that | was "lost."
Time wore away, and it had reach
ed the Meridian of the day, ard the sun
was yet clouded, when threw down
my burthen, hoping by renewed energy
to yet be enabled to regain the en-
campment ere night. travelled on, l
know not whether, ! had lost all con-
ception of latitude or longitude; and at
four in the afternoon | found myself on
the margin Of an open swamp. Here
the sun again made his appearance
| supposed myself 10 be near the bor>
ders of Whiskey Bay, and shaped my
course accordingly, but soon found that
| was surrounded by waters, and pre-
vented from following any direct line
in search for high land, and at last COM
PEELED TO take the water. After wa
ding for about two miles, waist deep
the greater part of way, | fortunately
found small spot. Here ] examined
my ammunition, and found both caps
and powder wet. | cut some palmetto,
strewed part on the ground, kept the
balance for covering, and laid myself
down for the night, as it was quite dark
and, althoug the mosquitoes surrounded
me like thick cloud, from the fatigue
Of the day, l soon fell asleep.
| When awoke the sun shining on the tree
tops Without having eaten morsel Of food
since the morning Of the previous day, set out a
gain in search OF the camp, with the prospect o
spending the longes. day of my life in the fIultes:
attempt. wandered on. sometimes in water
sometimes in small patches of cane and when the
night came, threw myself down, and sep, as wei
could be expected, the mosquitoes and ticks feast
ing the while on my blood, which, notwithstanding
hunger was The worst feature OF my siuatlon. o.
the fourth night found myself in four foot wa.ei
succeeded, however, in finding treo which ha
fallen, but remaining above water, on which slep
through the night. In the morning, again breas
ed the water, and soon discovoI,d some cane ke'
ping the same course, near as could, crosse
the cane and came to an open swamp. Here
! rh frat
had seen since | had abandoned the pursuit Of ii
wounded panlher.-They were numerous, larg
and in fine condition, one ofwhich would double;
have been sacrificed to satisfy the craving OF hun
ger which had beep the day previous almost insu
ferable, were it not my ammunition had becou
damaged apd useless. This day also suffer,
much from hunger, but no longer felt the incessa
biting of the mosquitoes and ticks, my flesh beiI
apparently dead to pain, yet my feet were givIr
way being covered with sores from the friction
the shoes in the water. On the following day
found some green blackbeHies, and ate a few al
after lhis--the 6lh day. ieIt no hunger.
! | now found myself in very heavy cane bIea
which seemed 10 be interminable, and all my efto
4 to exricate myself from it proved unavailable, u
: I'll the 18th day. The cane was SO heavy that
!, was impossible to keep any direct course, and CO
: sequently, my progress must have been but slo
Y On the l2lh day, however struck a small stTea
and to avoid the difficulty ofPushng myself throu
C the cane, took to the water, and about IL o'co
d struck tra that had been cut by Mr., Lee,
the banks of the Bayou Alsb9ma, uniortuna
Y ly took the wrong end Of this trail, and following
Y some distance found a camp. Taking care
ohsaryation of the q ANN and every thing connec