Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-04-10
ANEcDoTE OF CAPTAIN MARTIN SCOTT.

ANECDoTE OF CAPTAIN MARTIN SCOTT.
The cOOlness and daring of Captain
Scott, who was considered the best shot
in the American army, was at all times
remarkable, but on no occasion was the
strength and firmness of his nerves
more thoroughly tested than on the fol-
lowing:
While stationed at Green Bay, he was
called by the government to make tour
through the State of Illinois, for pur-
poses connected with the services of the
United States.
One evening, short time before sunset,
as he was crossing one of the prairies,
which were at that time unsettled and
uncultivated, he approached large bluff,
near whose base rock projected several
feet in horizontal direction, leaving a
vacant space between the lower edge, and
the surface of the ground. As he neared
the bluff, the Captain observed fine doe
start from behind it, and bound across
the prairie. He watched her agile from,
with true hunters zest, until she dis
appeared in the distance; and then turn.
ing to the rock from whence she had
started, he saw, much to his surprise and
pleasure, what he supposed to be the leg
ola buck, while the body was entirely
concealed by a jutting stone. The tempt
alton was too great to be resisted. He
flung himself from his horse, which had
been taught to stand united, leaving his
pistols in their holsters, and taking a
large hunting knife between his teeth, he
commenced crawling noiselessly along
upon his hands and knees, with the, bv
no means honorable, intention of seizins
his unexpected buckship by the leg if
possible, making him prisoner of war,
or taking his life as the forfeit of his re-
sistance. In a few minutes he reached the
spot. The timid deer had changed into
ferocisus panther, who had already
crouched, with glaring eyes, ready to
spring upon the coming prey. The sur
prise was mutual. Here was dilemma
from which he hardly knew how to cx-
tricate himself. Retreat was impossible;
and, in pitched battle, the odds were
desperately against him. But the last
was the only alternative. Knowing the
power of the human eye over the brute
part of creation, he concluded to recon-
noitre the foe, and give him an oppor-
tunity of commencing the attack, if he
chose so to do. The panther had de-
te mined to pursue the same polite
course. Within four feet of the savage
beast, and almost feeling his warm and
excited breath upon his cheek, the Cap
tain, fixing his eyes steadily upon the
former, waited till he should turn his
gaze from him. With Scott, this strange
contest was for life or death. Though
moments seemed hours, his gaze faltered
not an instant, and with his eyes fixed
upon those of the panther, he remained
unmoved, unmovable, while he could
distinctly hear the beatings of his own
heart. In this state of affairs, upon his
hands and knees, with no other weapon
except the knife between his teeth, and
within few feet of his powerful foe, the
minutes which passed necessarily seemed
long. At length the eye of the panther
became unsteady, and it was evident
he was becoming uneasy. He had found
more than his match in the Captain.
He began TO wink and the latter took
courage. Finding that all would not do
to throw Scott off his guard, the panther
now resorted to strategy. Closing his
eyes for several moments, as if asleep,
he would then suddenly open them, but
only to find the same gaze fixed upon him.
The game was growing desperate, the
panther shrank back a few feet and gatL.
cred for spring. Scott believed that