Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-07-27


) discovered that it was drifting, fe
!. there was a current in the. water tha
set tolerably sharp across the prairie
! had crawled up at one end, aud go
astride of the log, but as it dipped
considerably. / was still over tn,
hams in the Water. ! thought
might be more comfortable, towards
the middle, and was about to pul
the thing more under me, wher
all at once | saw there WAS something
clumped up on tne other end of the
log. 1t was not very clear at the
time, for it had been growing cloud
Ter ever since ! left the 81 ianty, but
it was clear enough to show me that
the thing WAS aIiaslimal; what sort
could not tell. 1t might be a bear,
and it might moi; but had my sus-
picions it was either bear or pan
ther ! WAS not left long in doubt
about the things gender. The log
kept making circles as it drilied, and
when the animal Came round into Il
different light, ] caught "A glimpse
OF its eyes. knew those eyes to be
no bears eyes; they were panther
eyes and no mistake. / reckon,
SRA niger, ! felt very queer just about
then; | did npt try to go any nearer
the middle Of the log; but instead of
that, ! wriggled bhck until was
plump On the end of it. and could get
no further. There | sat for good
loDg spell, without moving hand or
foot. WIS afraid to make mo-
tion, as it mig ht tempt the animal
to attack me- had no weapon but
my knife; l bad let go my rife
when | Slid from my mares back,
-and it bad gone to the bottom loae
since was not IN any condition
0 stabl' II tussel with the panther
rohow; so | WIS determined to let
him alone as long as he would me.
.Well, we drilted on for good
hour, | guess, without either of US
stirring We sat face 10 face, and
bow aud then tie cnrrent would set
the log in sort Of up and down
motion. and then the panther and |
kept bowipg to each other like a pair
Of bob-sawyers. | could see all the
while that the animals eyes were
fixed upon mine, and | never took
nine from his; I knew it was the
only way TO keep him still
i was just wondering what wonld
be the end Of the business, wheqtI
saw We were getting closer to the
timber; it was not more than two
niles off, bat it was all under water
except the tops Of tie trees. |
was thinking that when he log should
float in among the branches, ! might
slip off and get my hands upon d
tree, without saying anything to my
travelling companion. just at that
minute something appeared dead
ahead Of the log, It WAS Ike an
island; but what could have brought
an island there? Then | recolkcted
that l had seen IA piece Of high
ground about that part Of the prai-
rie-a sort Of mound Chat had been
made by Indians, ! suppose. This,
then, that resembled an island, WAS
the Top Of that mound, sure enough.
The log was drifting in such way
that | saw il must pass within twen-
tx yards Of the mound | deter
mibed. then, rs soon as We should get
alongside to put out Tor it, and leave
the panther TO continue bis voyage
without ME.
eWhen / FIRST saw the island, | OBJ
served something that | took for
bushes. But there were nc bushes
OH the mound that | knew Of. How
ever, when We got little closer. |
that the bushes were
beasts. They were deer; for / spied
IA pair Of buck S horns between me
and the sky. But there was some
thing still larger than a deer. IL
might be a horse or an opelo1s, or
an OK. but | thought it was horse,
/ WIS right about thar, for a horse ltI
Was, or rather, | Should say. mare,
and taat mare no other than my
on creaturel After parting compi-
ny sile lfla turaed with the CURRENT
and. as good luck would have il, bad
SVEN IN u bee-lisle for the island
aud there she sooi, looking as slick
rs il she had been creased. The log
had-bs this time got nlgh henough, af
/ calculated, and, with as little RUM
pus as possible, ] slipped over the