The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-10-25
That Panther Hunt.

The denizens of this county in the neighborhood
of Wikinsoas, Earthman & Cos Mills recently en-
jOyed some rare sport for this county, in old fash
toned panther chase and combat. The chase and
the denoument were warm and animating, and the
various points and episodes afford abundant matter
for exciting and interesting confab and will doubt
less continue to do so for years to come and many
a time and oft, around the blazing hearth stone,
will this novel and exciting battle be fought DER
and DER again.
There is nothing so terrible in a panther hunt in
the wds of the West where such things are COM
mon but the principle interest attached to this
event consists in its novelty, and the unexpected
manner in which it came upon the tapis A party
of gentlemen had started out on a fox hunt, with
their dogs and horn. and without arms, seeking
only the excitement of the chase, and not
desiring to bag their game. They old hands
at this pastme, and went about it with perfect
nonchalance. Among their number was Mr.. NJ. Fl.
Wikin son and four of the Mr. Smileys. When
about ore mile below the Mills aud Cards
Spring. the dogs set up unusual camor at the foot
of a tall tree, looking up to its almost leafess
branches with mixed aspects of anxiety and fear
The hunters fastened to the spotsupposng they had
freed that same old coon. But they were soon
deceived. The first one on the spot espying the
long tail of the monster, exclaimed. "By Jimmy,
its Lion" Another thoughtt was a wolf, and
another bear Whateverit was they resolved to
spill its blood. One of the party started immedi-
atey for gun. At the first place he called, the
owner of the gun declared he was hOaxing, and
refused either to go send his guu upon any such
wild goose chase. The gun must be had, how.
ever and our friend pursued his purpose until he
succeeded, and he returned to the spot where the
animal was prepared for the contest The panther
at this uncture began to feel uneasy in his skin and
jumping from his retreat took to his heels Now
the sport began Hounds and horsemen followed the
fleeing monster, p nell, over swamps and break,
through wood and over meadow, for full FIVE min.
utes, of the most exciting and interesting runs
in the experience of the oldest hunters present
On they sped, rapidly gaining upon the fugitive,
whose weight evidently retarded his progress
Finding himself in a close place he again re,reated
to a tree, and up its huge trunk he few like
frightened wild cat, and turning his glarng eyes
upon his pursuers, seemed to throw defiance in
their faces. Bang went the rifle and down came Mr..
panther again, slightly wounded, and another chase
ensued, still more exciting than the first, and more
prOtracted. But thefugitive, exhausted with run-
ming, again betook himself to tree, where before
he got fairly ensconsed he was shot in the BODY
and came down to terra frma with broken thigh.
Now came long, fierce and bloody co test with
the dogs, which lasted full hour, and was one of
the most interesting cOmbats ever witnessed. One
by one the dogs were turned off yelping but en-
couraged by their holder companions, returned
again to the fight. One noble fellow was killed,
aud several others badly wounded. By this time
the noise of the chase and the cries of the excited
combatants had spread through the neighborhood,
and attracted a crowd of spectators, and among
them Jackman and Reeder, veteran hunters and
Others with large re-inloreements of dogs and guns
The "allies, encouraged thus, renewed the attack
with vigor, determined that "Sebastopol" should
fall. At one time the allies had the enemy down,
with huge rail upon his neck, upon which some
half a dozen men were standing to hold him down.
But making last, desperate effort, though he had
been stabbed three or four times in the side, he
freed himself from his adversaries with bound and
a snort that echoed through the woods for a mile
Then there was ascampering among the rail-hoders
and the crowd generally, that was amusing no one
seeming DESTROYS of bringing matters to too close
climax. But the enemy finally yielded after a hand
to hand fight Of an hour and half and gave up the
ghost. His dimensions were accurately taken, and
he was found to measure seven aud half feet in
length, and TO weigh over one hundred and fifty
pounds.
We understand that the county pays a premium
of 500 for the scalp Of panther taken within It's
limits.