Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-11-10
THE PANTHER HUNT.


CoMPASY NJ, VA. REGIMENT.
THE PANTHER HUNT.
Barking and yelping, with noses close
to the ground, three noble hounds of rare
breed rushed through the thickly grown
wood, sometimes losing the track, midst
the withered leaves, then snuffing about
the decayed and PROSTATE trees, they
would once more resume the chase in full
cry-a sure sign that their pursuit was of
the bear or panther, and not the nimble-
| footed deer, which, if it did at times lure
them for a brief period from the path, ne
yer Iendered them wholly untrue to it.
They had now reached a spot were
| their foe had evidently been for a time,
and must have crossed their road for
stopping for r moment, they sought,
uhimpsring wildly. more eagerly than
ever through the closely hanging parasite
cal plants which, like living wall encir-
cled the place, then returning again and
again to the centre, renewed their howls
and lamentations as before.
Suddenly the bushes parted, and a
young man on small black Indian pony,
cutting by one vigorous stroke with the
broad hunting knife he held in his hand,
the creepsrs which threatened to drag him
off his horse, leaped in directly between
the hounds, who delighted at his appear
ance, fawned upon him for an instant,
then urged to redoubled zeal by the neigh
! borhood of their master, proceeded anew
in their search.
so so my brave dogsp' cried the
young hunter, stopping to replace his
knife in its sheath. and laying the rifle
which he carried on his shoulder, on the
saddle before him. $50 right seek
! you here, on the road, and this time |
think we shall succeed in nabbing the pig
stealsr that has escaped SO often. Hur-
rah - shouted he, raising himself in his
saddle rs he saw the oldest of the dogs
taking the lead, and followed closely by
the others, plunge at once into the thick
ct. ''Hurrah !" And throwing his gun
again across his shoulder, as he seized the
reign in his right hand and pressed his
heels against his pony's sides, he flew in
wild bound. after the dogs. On the way
lay trunks Of trees, oyergrown bushes,
marshy sloughs and Shiny channels, but
nothing could repress their ardor. On
ward and onward still they went, followed
by the black pony, snorting and foaming
and its rider huzzaing with delight
Once more the hounds stopped, but this
time with no uncertainty as to the path
their enemy had taken, for barking and
bowling, they sprang at one of the nigh
tiest oaks on the upland, gnaring with
rage the roots and bark of the noble'tr
which had afforded shelter to their foe,
and thus hindered their pursuit of him.
The hunter now arrived at the chosen spot
and, without staying to check his horse
he lsaped in one bound, which almost
ovsrset the animal, from out his saddle
and begau with eager glance to search
through the thick leaves of the tree, round
which the dogs were jumping in SO much
exultation and soon espied 'twixt two o.
the branches the form of some living crca
ture, which, clinging closely to the bough:
seemed to deem itself altogether unnotic
ed and concealed. 1t WAS, indeed, suffi
cisntly dark amid the shade of the thicl
foliage, for less practiced eye than tina
of our young inhabitant of the forest, tc
have remained some time in doubt of the
description of animal which 80 earnestly
sought to shun his observation. But Wes
I tons eagle eye soon recognised in th'
crouching figure and long tail, which i
could not perfectly conceal, the panther
cub, and raised his gun to fetch it from
it, height, while the dogs, breathless will
expectation, looked now towards the riff
from which they momeutarily expected tt
see the fash, and towards the summit o
the oak, in whose branches they knew
their enemy to be. But in vain WAS th
low whine with which they hoped to has
ten the proceedings of their master; h
seemed suddenly to change his mind, an
. laying his gun aside he commenced one
. more cautious and attentive s1amina
: ton of the tree. Re-assured, at length
; apparently, of that which he desired t
: know, he unbuckled the belt in which hi
| knife and tomahawk were stuck, and ia
= king off his hunting shirt, again returne
towards the oak, from which the dog;
though anxiously obssryant of his ever
8 movement had never once removed the
4 eyes. 80,
"I will try" he murmurrod to himssl
t +" and take it alive, for if / bring youn
It panther to Little Rock. shallrsadily OF