Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-09
r Remarkable Panther FIsht in VIRGINIA.

William and Henry Rudolph and myself,
Gays a writer in Hdrptrs Magazine, started
in the Winter of 1851 on deer hunt, the
snow more than knee deep. We started up
different ridges, all leading to the top of
Paddy Mountain. After had gone short
distance got upon very large bear-traek
(as supposedly l seemed to plsw through
the snow Just like horse. | halloed for the
boys; and when they came up they agreed
it was bear. We followed on the track.
Did not 70 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. 1t had eaten all the
flesh. We saw several smaller tracks around
the spot-as we afterward concluded those
of the 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 till near dark, when we
"denued' it, 1t was a desperate looking
place-ob, most terrible!
We concluded we had better go home and
next morning get some dogs, when we
would have some fine sport. We had
frtiguing time getting home, tired enough,
AID after night. Early next morning we
started " ith FIVE dogs, and got to the top of
the mountain by sunrise (six or seven miles,
When we reached the place we found the
animal had come out and the small one with
II. We followed their track. They entered
and left several dens. As you may guess, it
was tiresome work to us. 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 an
o'her way. At last it stopped and went in
the rocks,
We were awfully tired and the sun nearly
down. v e made an examination. Desper-
ale looking place the rocks very high and
straight as the wall OF a house. The track
went around at the base of the cliff, then
came TO lower point and got on top. Then
il jumped down into a hole between the
rocks six feet deep and perpendicular. l lay
down and peeped over At the bottom
could see crack in the side where the
beast had gone in.
Operations began by letting one dog down.
He barBtd, and a growl answered that
seemed like the loudest thunder beneath US.
Z hen all the dogs jumped down and such a
prowling and barking you never heard
We could hear the claws against the rocks.
Une sma dog got well at him and mad four
holes bitten into him you could put your
fuger in. We still thought it was a bear
and would come out, and kept our guns
Cucked ana 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 he
seen. We pulled William out, but let him
down again to look in the crack at the ami
NAL. We had to let him down head fore
most and hold by the end Of his trowsers
v lillian reports: II see his eyes. They are
wide apart snd big as a silver dollar" "0h,"
says |, you are scared" "No, l amt; l
csn see hts head, but can't tell its shape.
Take me mp; | am sick"-his position throw
ing the blood 10 his head
So | was put down. Saw has eyes; saw
little light from the crack; saw it was no
bear. Ny head soon suffered like Williams,
aud had To be drawn up. Rested little,
] was again put down with a stick to move
away the loose rock and widen the crevice.
did so, ana made out the color, the short
head, and great width between the eyes
ht ad like a tiger ami color of a doe.
could only stay long enough to note this, and
was agam drawn up. Late as it was, and
almost broken down as we we're, we had
81 ort time 10 parley, There was but one
plan Two must be let down with one gun
-one to hold it and the other TO aim and
pull trigger.
William and | went down together, our
weight partly supported by the sides of the
well like opening and partly by Henry's
hold OF our Iro6sers. | had 10 hold the gun
upside down and sight under instead of
along the top ii, being inverted myself ALI
this passed in less time than it takes me to
tell you, as it was impossible TO endure the
position long. We got the gun pointed. "a
little higher, little more to the right A
little higher yet PuitP The echoes of the
cavern made the report like that of can
non.
We .didn't stay down longer than we
could help after firing. Henry pulled vigor-
ously, and with the aid of our hands on the
rock were soon up. For little while we
could hear the panther struggling in his
blood; We let down dog. No noise fol-
lowed. Then | was lowered down. | saw
the game was dead. | crawled in as faI
as l conld. A barrier of rock obstructed
me. Over this | reached my arm and
got my forefnger in his mouth, but could
not move bin. Drawn up again, took
my tomahawk and cut some pieces o.
WOOD TO clear away the snow. This done
we succeeded in finding place where the
rock could be to some extent moved. A
poe with hook at the end was prepared
This we managed TO tasten in his hind legs
and pulled him out.
ii proved TO be male panther of immense
Rize, Rine 1eet 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 we're, We
wished TO carry him home bodily. Tried tC
shoulder IL, but failed. We took off the
skin with the paws and scalp, and hung the
carcass on a tree. Henry said he had seen
the small Une escape through the rocks be.
The following Spring some Government
man came along, and said he would give me
Sb TO show him the frame Of the panther
We went. He found all the bones, put them
in bag, and took them away. And that
the end Of my panther-hunt
A FIRE ExTlEsUIsHED BY STEAM.-A FIRE