Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-01-05
My Last Panther Fight.


away, taking a course across the hills
which led me from the river, along
whose banks our hunting and trapping
ground had been. Striking valley
which appeared to lead in the right
direction, / followed it up to an ab-
rupt termination, then mounted the
ridges in front, and so passed on into
the heavy forest. In this | had walk
ed for upwards of two hours; then,
surprised at not coming out at the
camp "opening,"I began to realize
that | must have gone astray. In vain
| tried to distinguish the east from the
west; the sun refused to shine thro'
the overcast October sky, and I could
not even guess the direction which |
had pursued.
Bet on and on | went, led by the
hope that each rift in the woods was
the sought for opening, only to be de-
ceived, and to become more deeply
bewildered; and at length | paused,
wearied with my exertions, to ponder
over the situation. 1t was then, when
the reaction from hope to despair
came, that | was seized with a feel
ing of dread bordering on terror.
That feeling passed away and for
another two hours, until darkness
closed in around me, | struggled for
ward to reach the river banks. Hav-
ing mounted a high hill, | discovered
a line of lofty ridges which conceiv-
ed must mark the water course. Once
on its banks | was sure of my way,
and to reach it | bent all my slowly
expiring strength. Long ere | attain
ed the foot of the hills it was night
dark; gusty night.
How drearily sounded the wind
soughing through the branches and the
half cri8ped verdure overhead! 1t
seemed to me sent as a dismal mess
enger to stand over nay couch all night
to warn me of the presence of night
and darkness.
My couch! where was it to be
Not on the ground, almost utterly des-
titute Of grass. and damp with the pen,
etrating moisture Of the woods. To
my weary frame rest was necessary
but to sleep there was only to incur
the double hazard of sickness and
danger from the night prowling wolf
and panther.
Hark Away off upon the hillside
a cry What is it? Something human,
yet inhuman. All! know it only too
well the voracious and hungry call
OF the catamouut-theA American pan
ther. An answering cry from the foot
hills now came upon the air-the cry
Of the equally voracious and fierce
wolf
My safety lay in conccalment; but
how was that possible? The blood
loving beasts would ferret out my
hiding place, let it be even in the tree
tops, if once they got to the wlndward
of me. They were to the windward
and the now increasing number of
howls advised me to seek "cover," foI
a relentless enemy was on my track.
| had reached one of occasional
riffs or openings in the forest where
the green grass and the wild flowers
are permitted to grow, and the sweet
light of heaven is felt by day. In the
IeSSened darkness of this spot | was
just able to discern, out in the little
prairie plot, tree-probably scrut
oak. This offered me a good retreat
i'll could mount it, since it prevented
the attacking beasts from hiding away
under cover, or, should a panther
come, it offered him no surrounding
tree from which to leap upon my
perch. To this solitary tree | direct
ed my steps with eager haste, but had
not taken twenty steps before the
warning signal of q rattlesnake was
given. This | did not heed, only by
turning aside to avoid the monster
which | knew must be half torpid with
the seasons chill. Through briel
and tangle, | finally forced my way
and reached the tree. 1t was an oak
as | had surmised, with heavy growth
of limbs above, but quite destitute of
branches for a distance of twelve OF
fifteen feet from the ground.
LoOsening my belt, | thrust my ri
fe underneath it along my back, anC
by dint of skillful climbing, succeeded
in reaching the branches, among which
| was soon ensconced in a position of
no little comfort.
My strength now gave quite away
and fell back in my seat so thor
oughly exhausted that a child's hanG
could have pushed me from the limb
Sleep would have come without WOO
ing, but with the air fairly resonant
with those night calls to death, was
not likely to slumber.
Would the wolves spy me out p
Their cries still were distant, but
plainly audible. | tried to count theil
number, but it was impossible, fol
howl mingled with howl in disma
diScord that sent chill to my very
marrow. How long ere they woulC
come ? A half hours rest would give
me new strength, and with knife anC
rife | did not despair of maintaining
my hold upon the mid-air fortress IN
til day should give me relief.
What was that? A break in the
clouds above, and star bursts thro'
A star! Beacon of hope, truly! Now
another and another. Will the DC
tober wind that sighed through the
trees so solemnly, bear the clouds
away and give me light? All see
there comes the moon, sailing up il
the east-the haIf-grown moon, as if
purpoSely to keep me company thro
the night am overjoyed and smile
in my contentment.
Upon the ground few rods away
| marked a dark mass. Was il q
clump of bushes or vines? coulC
not tell. Soon the moon would rise
hiUhar and tbpn 7 conId soa the uroun6