Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-07-09
Pioneer Panther r lnting.

OF all the wild beasts that inlaasit .the vest
ern forests, none are more the Auntsr's dread |
than the panther Their sly, stealtby, cat-like
tread, scarcely making rustic among the dry
leaves, their frightfu spring, and the certainty
of securing their victim in their long, knife
like claws, has assigned to them q place in the
west similar to that pied by the lion in the
fortress of Africa. They have not ito be sure,
the strength of the bear, nor the ptowllng ma
ture of the wolf, but what they laek d strength
they make up in quickness Y aotion, and
terrific fcrceness Of attack. Will she bear is
getting ready fora hag, she ~ s. ysli fsar
his victim to pieces The scream dfthe panther
like the rattle of the western serpent, is sound
that never fails to create tremor in the nerves
of the bravest backwoodsman, and when one is
heard in a settlement, it creates as great an ex-
citement as the appearance of rabid dog would
almost all kinds of beasts, but generally they
have preference for the deer, elk and buffalo
Large as the latter animal is, it falls victim
to the panther's deadly spring. Where, from
some overhanging cliff, or the branches of some
tree, it springs upon buffalo, striking its claws
d, ep into the flesh, there is no escape for its
claws are so sharp and strong, that they pene
trate the bark of the hardest tree enabling them
to ascend with the feetness of sat. The ai-
lrighted animal may plunge through the thicket
and endeavor to shake off the terrible foe, but
all is Of no avail the panther, grappling the
neck, soon extracts the life blood, AID the VIC
tim falls In their native wildncss they were
as fearless as they were ferocisas until the
deadly hunters rife taught them the power of
man. They will, notwithstanding, when they
are confident of success, attack a man, though
they will run from dog, not because they lear
him--for with one stroke of their paw they
could put stop to chase, and silence his bark
ing forever-but because of the proximity Of
the hunter with his rifle.
The following narrative is from pioneer
hunter of Kentucky, who is said to have killed
the last buffalo in the cane. brakes of that
State
was living on branch of the.Bibone, called
Prairie Run. 1t was the year after had been
out with General Wayne. had left home for
deer hunt, with rife, tomahawk and butcher
knife in my belt, as customary, and securing
about the woods | came to u thick piece OF
brush, in short, a perfect thicketof hoop poles
discovered some dreadful growliag and scufli"g
was going On by tie sound, urTssfsti5y wi hh
hundred yards or SO. crept as autiously and
silently as possible through the thcket and
kept on until found myself within. perhaps,
twenty steps of two very large male panthers,
who were making desperate fight, scream
ing, splitting and yelling, like couple of big
tom-cats, only much louder, as you may guess
At last one of them seemed to have absolutely
killed the other, for he lay quite motionless. -
This was what had been waiting for; and
while the other one was swinging backward and
forward over HIN in triumph, | blazed away
but owing to his singular motion, shot him
through the bulge of the ribs, a little too far
back to kill him instantly. They are very hard
, to kill But he made one prodgious bound
through the brush and cleared himself out ol
sight the ground where we were being quite
; broken as well as siding. | then walked up to
the other, mistrusting nothing, and was within
a yard of him, when be made one spring to his
feet and fastended on my left shoulder with biz
teeth and claws, where he inflicted several deer
wounds. | was uncommonly active, as well as
stout, in those days, and feared neither mar
nor mortal in u scufle; but had hard work tc
keep my feet under the weight of such beast
! had my knife out in an instant, and put it into
G him for dear life. So we tusseed away and thu
D ground being siding and steep at that. which
a increased my trouble to keep from falling, W
+, gradually worked down hill till was force'
against large log, and we both came to th
y ground, inside and the panther outside of il
o he still keeping hold although evidently weak
ening under the repeated digs and rips he wa
# getting. kept on knGng away till | foun'
= his hold sackening and he let go at last, to M
great rejoicing. got to my feet, made for m
e rife, got it, and ran home. gathered tn
a neighbors, with their dogs, and on rotufnin
n found the pantliers not more thag4f fifteen rod
apart; the one | had knitted, dsHg, and th
one had shot, making an effort toelmb tire
to the height of eight or ten feet, when he iei
# and was speedily despatched. Next day,
II stripped them Of their skins, which sold to
saddler in Lexington for two dollars apiece
You may depend never got into such gri
r again with panther.
L.. Mr. A Ninhol.