Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-03-10
round and entered the hole. followed by
the others before it could be preven-

In amoment terrific growl was heard, /
followed by blow of the animals paw
on the rock as he struck at the dogs.
Soon the. mingled growls of the. animal, i
and the furious barking of the dogs. with /
cries Of pain and rage of the latter came |
from the den. The question was now,
what was to be done? The dogs must
be got out or all would be killed, as
those which might be wounded could
not retreat on account of those pressing
behind. The old hunter then told the
youngest of his nephews that he must
try and get into the hole and pull the
dogs out, while his brother must prevent
them from re-entering, and he would
stand ready to pull him out upon the first
notice of danger. All was safely and
successfully accomplis hed-the dogs were
but little hurt, except the noble fellow
which first entered he had received q
mortal hurt-the animal had caught him
by the shoulder, his teeth meeting across
his back.
If the prey was to be secured, some
thing had now to be done quickly, as the
night was fast approaching, the valleys
already being shaded. Rudolph again
told the young man that he must go into
the hole, while he and his brother would
stand ready to pull him out, and see what
the animal was. After this was carefully
surveyed he said he could not see any
thing. Look to the right said Adam,
and under the rock where the dog first
winded.' In few minutes he answered,
My God see pair of eyes as big as a
dollar, and as bright as Goals of fire. 1T
is not bear, then said Adam, for as a
bears head is shaped like apig's, his eyes
arc small and close together The ne
phew was drawn cut and they all stood
with rifles ready.
Rudolph then went to the rent in the
rock, and cleared away all the leaves and
litter which INSTRUCTED the passage of the
light into the den. AT his own instance
he was then lowered into the den to take
look. In little time he was pulled out
and stated that there were two animals in
the cave, one of which he had seen leap
upon a rock far back in the chamber, and
the other lay still in the same place; and
that it was of "a dun color. He concluded
to go into the hole first and hold the muz-
zle of the rifle; one of the nephews was to
follow to pull the trigger, while the other
|
be ready to pull them OUT if necessary
He had discovered that the hole went
down about six feet and then stopped at
rock about three feet high, between the
rock and the roof of the cave was the en-
trance to the channel where the animal
laid. He felt satisfied that the animal
could not spring suddenly out, as there
was not room enough for him to do so,
and to that he attributed the safety Of the
dogs; and that upon that rock the animal
without doubt struck the blow, which had
been heard when the dogs first entered
He was also assured that one man could
not shoot him, as from the position he
must necessarily occupy in the hole, he
could not get the muzzle of the piece over
the ledge of the rock at the entrance.
The plan being formed, it was as spec
Oily carried out. They both stripped off
all unnecessary clothing, and Rudolph en-
tered first, firmly clutching the rifle near
the muzzle, which he brought over the
rock. The nephew followed and brought
the gun to his shoulder, though not with
out great difficulty, as the position they
were in was exceedingly awkward, being
nearly on their backs and their heads low
er than their feet. DO you work clear,
said Adam, shoot at his eye and don't
let us have to shoot twice. Il see his
eyes now.' said the young man, but can
not find the end of the rife-raisc little |
higher-a little to the right-a little to
the left-there, steady-a little higher,
in low whisper, when instantly the piece |
was discharged. with most terrigc re-
port in that confined place; and, as they |
afterwards said they thought the rocks
would have surely tumbled in on them.
In moment the young man was drawn
out by his brother, and together they
pulled at the old man, whose shirt be-
coming entangled on a projecting angle |
of the rock, he cried out that he was fast,
and they supposing the animal had hold
bruises and contusions got him out. Lis
tening quietly, low deep groans, like the
sobs of a human being in distress were
heard issuing from the cave. One of the
dogs was now sent into the cave, and all
within being quiet, they knew the animal
was dead. Their next efforts were direc-
ted to getting the body out, which proved
to be that Of a Panther, measuring nine /
feet and one inch from the nose to the |
end of the tail. The rifle ball had taken
effect in the left eye, dashing out the brain
and breaking the neck. Finding it i'm
possible to carry the body home, fatigued
as they were, with a long distance before
them, they skinned it, hung the body on
a tree, and started off with the hide as
trophy of perseverance and courage rare
y equalled. They say they are still rea-
dy to undergo the same toll and danger,
if occasion offers, for SO rich prize.
re- The learned Macaulay thinks that
the amount of learning of the ladies of
England in the sixteenth century is very