Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-06-28
THE GREEN MOUNTAIN

! DAYS, and at logging bees and raisings, al
was ready to climb sgn-post or saplmg,
feet foremost, or walk ridge pole from end
TO end with his hands, with his heels in the
air, and then, by way Of showing that he
was capable Of even greater leats, would de-
scend railer to the plate Of the building
in the same manner.
The party did not forget TO carry their
canteens well charged, and as they pursued
their way into the recesses of the forest,
from time to time refreshed the inner man
by liberal drafts therefrom. Not meeting
any game in their progress, it was agreed to
scperate and pursue the hunt, and if either
fired his rifle, the others were to hasten to
his assistance. They had not been long
separated, when one Of them fired his rifle,
and the the others soon came up. The one
who fired had discovered recent track in
the light snow, which resembIed cats, but
was nearly as large as man could make
with his hand, by slightly bending his fin
gers inward, as in the act of grasping.-
"hey knew it to be a panthcr's track, and,
though the day was far spent, resolved to
follow it, and, if possible, secure the ami
NAL. On they went, plunging deeper and
deeper into the forest, till the shades of night
gathered around them, when they came to
a huge hemock, and perceived, by scratch
es on the bark, that the object of their pur-
suit was freed 1t was too dark to see him
through the thick foliage, and they dared not
fire at random; they therefore concluded to
build a fire at the roots of the tree, aud
watch till daylight, when they might secure
their prisoner.
Accordingly the fire was built; and af'
ter again wetting their Threats, they com
menced their nights watch. About six or
eight feet from the roots of the tree lay the
fallen trunk of another. Owing to the ia
tgucs of the day and their experiments with
the canteens, as the night wore away, sleep
weighed down their eyelids, and they sunk
into her embrace Cal, however, had one
eye open for adventure. The fire had gra-
dualIy declined until only a few faint flick
erings shot up at intervals. Hearing a
scratching above his head, he reused him
self, arose, and by the light of the nearly
extingushed fire, discovered the panther,
about fifteen feet up the tree, gradually de-
scending like a cat. His long tail swung
to and tro and as it came within reach,
Car seized it with both hands, shouted to
his companions, and gave a desperate pull,
which brought the panther directly down
into the burning embars Bewldcrcd and
taken all aback, as the sailors say, he start
ed full jump around the tree, while Gal,
shouting and holding ON to the caudal ex
Hemity, followed round and round, raising
4 fine dust in the ashes. His companions
had suatched their rifles, and at safe dis.
lance, called on Car to let 60, that they
might fire without danger Of hitting him.
But Car thought that panther caught by
the tail was worth two running in the woods !;
50 round they went as before, till the pan
Their. not liking the Circus darted off, aud
just as he was leaping over the before men.
toned fallen tree, received a shot through
the heart, and fell dead on the other side
'Cal,' still retaining his hold, went over aE
ter him, and his companions were duly no.
titled that the animal was his game. lie
was of the largest size, measuring over
nine feet from the tip Of the nose to The end
Of the taiI.--.SyracHSc UHi0a.