Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-05-02
The Virginia Panther Fight.

to the top of Paddy Mountain. After
had gone a short distance, I got upon q
large bear track, las supposed). seem
ed toplow through the snow like horse
1 halIoed for the boys, and when they came
up they agreed it was bear. We follow.
ed on the track. Did not 60 far before we
saw where it had torn up a deer. We
thought it was one the bear had found dead
but soon discovered we were mistaken
II had eaten all the flesh. We saw sever.
al small tracks as We afterwards conclu-
ded those of female panther. We kept
along the top of the mountain, and
could see where it would go into den after
den of rocks, in and out Followed on un-
til near dark when we 'denned it, 1t was
a desperate looking place-oh, most terri
bic.
We concluded we had better 90 home
and next morning get some dogs, wber we
would have some fine sport. We mad ia
tiguing time getting home, tired enough,
and after night. Early the next morning
we started with five dogs, and got to the
top of the mountain BY sunrise, (six or sew
en- miles.) When we reached the place
We found that the panther had come out
and the small one with it. We followed
their track. They entered and left several
deus. Asyou may guess, it was tiresoms
work to u. They seemed to travel on the
very toughest and most rocky places. We
still thought them bear. The track turned
and seemed to come back another way
At last it stopped and went into The rocks.
We were awfulIy tired and the sun nearly
down. We made an examination. Des-
perate looking places, the rocks very high
and straight as the wall Of house. The
track went around at the base of the cliff,
then came to lower point and got on top.
Then it jumped down into hole between
the rocks, six feet deep, and perpendicular.
1 laid down and peeped over. At the bot
tom / could see crack iu the side where
the beast had gone in.
Operations began by letting one dog down
He barked, and growl answered that
seemed like the loudest thunder beneath us.
Then all the dogs jumped down, and such
a growing you never heard. We could
hear the claws against the rocks. One
small dog got well at him, and had four
holes bitten in him, you could put your
finger in. We still thught it was bear
and would come out, and kept our guns
cooked and pointed. 1t became clear that
We must get the dogs out. So we helped
William down. He handed up the dogs.
They out, all was quiet and nothing to be
seen. We pulled William out but let him
down again, to look in the crack at the an
imal. We let him down head foremost
and held him by the ends of his trowsers.
William reports, 4 see his eyes. They are
wide apart and big as silver dollar. oh
saysI, you are scared NO, 1 amt; 1
can see his head, but can't tell his shape.
Take me up am sick'-his position throw
ing the blood 10 his head.
$50 l was put down. Saw his eyes;
saw little light from the crack; saw it
was no bear. Ny head soon suffered like
Williams and was compelled to be drawn
up. Rested little. l was again put
down with stick to move away the loose
rock and widen the crevice. l did so and
made out the color, the short head, and
great width between the eyes-head like a
tiger and color of doe. could only stay
long enough to note this, and was again
drawn up. Late as it was, and almost bro
ken down as we were, we had short time
time to parley. There was but one plan.
Two must he let down with one gun-one
10 hold the gun, and the other 10 aim and
pull trigger.
William and 1 went down together,
our weight partly supported by the sides
Of the wel[like opening, ahd partly by
Henry's hold on oul trowers. had to
hold the gun upside down and sighted
along the bottom it, being inverted my
SELF All this passed in less time than it
takes TO tell you, as it was impossible to en-
dure the position long. We got the gun
pointed. "A little higher, little more to
the right. A little higher yet! Pull"
The echoes ofthe cavern made report like
that of cannon.
We did not stay down longer than
We could help after firing. henry pulled
vigorously, and with the aid of our hands
on the rock were soon up. For little
while we could hear the panther uggling
in his blood. We let down dog. No
noise followed. Then l was lowered. l
saw the game was dead. Icrawled in assoon
l could. A barrier of rock obstructed me.
Over this l reached my arm and got my
finger in his mouth, but could not move
him. Drawn up again, took my TOM
hawk and cut some pieces of wood to clear
away the snow. This done, we succeeded
in finding place where the rock to some
extent moved. A pole with hook at the
end was prepared. This we managed TO
to fasten to bis hind legs and pulled him
out.
II proved to he male panther of i'm
mense size, nine feet and one inch, from
nose to end of tail, fat, and very heavy
Late as it was, worn out and far from
home as we were, We wished 10 carw him
home bodily. Tried to shoulder him but
failed. We took off the skin with the paws
and scalp, and hung the carcass on tree.
Henry said he had seen the small one es.
cape through the rocks beyond.
The following spring some Government
man came along and said be would give me
five dollars to see the frame of panther.
We went. He found all the bones and
put them in bag and carried them away.
And that's the end of my panther hunt