Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-03-16

la produce will still further diminish ia
price, until We are entirely excluded from
the foreign market, when prices will u.
pend upon the will Of our manufacturers.
FL From the N. o. Piesyuaa.
The Panther Hunter.
We do not reco'lsct where We found
the following very clever narration Of :
aunting advea,ure:-
On the hanks cf the beautiful Suscuc.
hanna lived some years ago an individusi
whose life had been dsvs,ed 10 the wccds
and The storm. He had grown ole ID The
forest; hut, like the aged aud knotty oak,
a vestige still renaiasd of ia.antiQuity
and harsihsod. When saw him hFst u
reminded me OF diIapidatcd and deseftsd
for,rcss-dccsying, tut st,ll streng. I
court~d his acquaintance, and many ID the
time that have warmed myself during
the drssry months q, the bright Are ~
industry Of age had kindled. loved The
old man, bu, that love could not have orig-
mated in pity for his misiortunes; %, 10
WAS huppy a. spring b,rds! The only
regret he ever expressed was, that The
"clearings" around had driven away The
game. lie was himself pioneer az the
forest, and the civilization bad deprived
him Of half is charms, yet he would tell
over the tales Of hisevsntiul life, and weep
aud laugh a. he recolIecsod them.
'Oh!' said he once 10 me, 81 have sesa
the footprints Of The Indian aud panther
where now the zelda sro white with bar
yes, they have passed away with the
wilderness. and my own grey head viii
soon lie down in The dust! | must not
marmur; yr, will be the last who has
witnessed nature on the spot, Ia her max.
I'd and solitary grandeur; but il | could
once again exhibit ranther's skin % the
trophy Of my old age, could even forgot
thai5 .lis. -
The day was fast waning away, and
the shadcso 81 tho surrounding tfsos snvsl.
oped lhs wstchluI Luntsr ~ hs paced the
margin of an almost Inaccessible rpvins,
eager todiscovsr his prey; bss the pan.h-,
o. appeared not, and he bsgxn Ia fear that
he had been doomed to watch In vain. Al
length he leaned his rife against : irss.
ai.d commenced taking scaniy repss, hs
had provided. All was siill around him,
Ibis doc lay quietly BY his rifle, and
few yards beyond him the clear and spark.
ling wulers oil The vvest Branch might b
ssrn rrandsriag in lovelin-ss Lealea,h The
crsggy baak OF precipics, lifting i.sslf
towards tho skies more than ono hundred
feet. Thilherward the hunter stsayed,
looking upon the stream and valley hslSw,
cri,nsoncd with the setting sun, while To
thoughts Of other days chased one sAnoth-
cr ACROSS his brain, rs summer Noods eass
their Pickering shadows over = harvest
field. lie was aroused from his lethargy
by ruslling inihe shrubbsry nesr him,
aud turning, he saw panther cross bic
path. He shuddcrsd, iof his rife still
leaned against the tree, where he lest il,
and this panther WAS between hin end the
Tree. 70 God!" he cried, "be thou mar
cilDl 10 mel $3.50
The animal seemed TO have observed
him, and sprlnRing into the tree with .
& owl, now surveyed the horror stricken
hunter, while his fierce aud fiery gaze
made him lecoi 70 the very brink Of the
precipics. He cast his eyes over tho
abyss! there was no retreat cstt: stared
him in the face on either eide, and he
gave himself up TO the hopoiessaess VI
despair. Yet there might be hope. lie
held his knife in one hand. whilst uncon-
scioas Of what he did, he firmly grasped
a small sapl'ng with tho other; his dog,
however, instead OF relieving his fears,
only excited them, Irritating his foo by
an angry batk, IS il in. couchcd upon the
limb, like cat, ready TO spring upon her
prey; but still this spring was delayed,
as ii il felt conscious that It's prey was
sure, and had pleasure in holding its VIC
tim in terrific suspense. Al length, rip.
ping up the bark with ferocious and
quick growl, il drew its redundant length
together, then suddenly expanding itself,
srrang through the nlr towards it, victim.
The hunter, who had eagerly watched IL
mo, ioas. with shrek OF horror sprang.
ASIDE, bu, fortunately held to the sspliay
with almost convulsive grasp Tho
sharp claws Of The animal fixed in HE
clothing, and seemed nigh - have carried
him headIonX with IL over the dread abyss
- for moment Il seemed that this pan,h-
or would recover his footing, but with q.
intuitivs presence Of mind, the old man
ripped nsnnder his clothing, and il fsll
from crag to crag, marking tho sharp
projection oflhc rocks with his blood. sill
the welcome sound Of its fall 10 the earth
struck on his ears rs joyfully - the sound
oitiberty 70 the captive. Hs rushed for
ward 10 his rifle, fearful, perhaps, that
life was not yet extinct in his eaemy.-
Soon however, the contents sf his piscs
were lodged in the head Of his loo, while
. prayer went up to Heaven from his lips
ia gratitude for his preservation. The
hunter exhibited his trophy; but the ter
ror and toll had been grcAt--he expired
in n shirt tine after #s