Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1854-04-21

SWIM W the oliler sue, especially VIII
me on her back, and particularly as a
that time | weighed near about two hun
dred lbs, and that is 10 light weight
| reckon. Well, | was about reckoning
up. | got to thinking about Mary and
the children, and the old shanty in the
Mississippi, and heap of things that
! had left unsettled, and that now came
into my mind totrouble me. The mare
was still plunging ahead; but Iobserved
that she was sinking deeper, and deep
er, and fast loosing her strength, and |
knew she could not hold out any long
er. | thought at this time that if | got
off of her back, and took hold Of her tail,
she might manage little better. So |
slipped backwards over her hips, and
chung to the long hair. 1t did DO some
good, for she swan higher, but We got
mighty slow through the water, and |
had but little hopes we should reach
land.
Il was towed in this way about a
quarter of mile, when | spied some
thing floating on the water little ahead.
1t had grown considerably darker; but
there was still light enough to show me
that the thing was log. An idea now
entered my head that might save my
self-by taking to the log. The mare
then would have better chance for her
self; and, may be, when eased of drag
ging me, who WAS keeping her back, she
might make footing somewhere. So |
waited till she got little Closer and
then, letting go Of her tail, l clasped the
log, and crawled on to it. The mare
swan on, apparently without missing
me. saw her disappearing through
the darkness; but did not as much as
say good-by to her, for / was afraid that
my voice might bring her back again,
and she might strike the log with her
hoofs, and 'whammel it about. So |
lay quiet, and let her have her own way.
al was not long on the log before dis
covered that it WAS drifting for there was
current in the water that set tolerably
sharp across the prairie. hal crawled
up at one end and got astride the log
bat as it dipped considerable, l was still
over the hams in the water. | thought
might be more comfortable towards
the middle and was about to pull the
thing more under me when all at once
saw there was something dumped up
on the other end of the log. 1t was not
very clear at the time, for it had been
growing cIoudicr ever since | left the
shanty, but it was clear enough to show
me that the thing was an animal; what
sort | could not tell. 1t might be a
bear and it might not: but | had my
suspicious it WIS either bear or pan
thcr. | was not long in doubt about
the things gender. The log kept ma
king circles as it drifted and when the
animal came round into different light
caught a glimpse of its eyes. knew
those eyes to bcno bears eyes; they were
panther's eyes, and no mistake. reck-
on stranger, felt queer just about then.
did not try to go any nearer the mid
die of the log; but instead of that, |
wriggled back until | was right plump
on the end of it, and could get no fur
Their. There | set for good long spell
without moving hand or foot. | was
afraid to make amotion as it might tempt
the animal to attack me. had no
weapon but my knife; | had let 60 ofmy
rifle when | slid from my mares back,
and it had gone to the bottom long since.
| was not IN any condition to stand a
tusol with panther nohow; 80 | was
determined to let HIM alone as long as
he would me.
well we driftel on foi good hour,
| guess, without either of us stirring.
We sat face to face; and now and then
the current would set the log in a SOFT OF
up and down motion, and then the pan
ther ami | kept bowling to each other
ike Il pair of bob-sawyers. | could see
all the while that the animals eyes were
fixed upon mine, and | never took mine
from his: | knew it was the only way
to keep him still.
Il was just wondering what would be
the end Of the business, when | saw We
were getting closer to the timber; it was
not more than two miles of, but it was
all under water except the tops of the
trees. | was thinking that when the log
should float in among the branches, |
might slip off and get my hands upon
a tree, without saying anything to my
travelling companion. Just at that min
ute something appeared dead ahead of
the log. 1t WAS like an island, but what
could have brought m island there
Then recollected that had seen apiece
of high ground about that part of the
prairle--a sort of mound that had been
made by Indians, Isuppose. This, then,
that rescmbled an island, was the top OF
that mound, sure enough. The log was
drifting in such away that saw itmust
pass within twenty yards Of the mound.
determined, then as soon rs we should
get along 20 put out for 1t, and leave
the panther to continue his voyage with
ont me.
"When first saw the island, l observ-
ed something that | took for bushes
But there were no bushes on the mound
that knew of. However when we got
little closer, discovered that the bush.
es were beasts. They were deer; for
spied a pair of bucks horns between Ms
and the sky. But there was something
still larger than deer. 1t might be E
horse, or an opelous, or an OK, but