Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-05-29
From Lapham's History OF Woodstock
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES.
CHASED BY A PANTHER.

aVoucneu lot Oy the writer, tnoush 'hei
are strong grounds for believing 1t au
thentic. 1t occurred nearly hundre
years ago-and long before the first SCI
tier built his cabin in this town. Tn
descendants of the leading character
the adventure say that the story has com
to them, and they believe it, and tn
principal details, as related by them, ar
here given.
One of the first settlers in Paris wa
Lemuel Jackson, of Middleboro, Mass
Rumford and Paris were settled nearl
at the same time, though when the In
dian raid was made into Bethel in 1871
the settlers in Rumtord went away ant
did not return for over year. Unit
the road was built through Woodstock
in 1896, there was no communication
between the two settlements, excep
through the wilderness, guided by lint
of spotted trees.
1t is said that in the spring, Mr.. Jack
son, being short of potatoes for seed
made the journey alone through the
woods to New Pennacook (Rumford) fol
thepurposeof procuring some from the set
tiers there. He secured the potatoes
and started for home late in the after
noon, intending to stop over night on the
way. IL was not an uncommon thing
for the early settlers, when visiting neigh
boring settlements, TO spend the night IN
the woods. Near the brook which passes
through Pinhook, at the time of which
we are speaking, was a deserted camp
which had been used by sable hunters,
and which was built after the rude man
ner of those days. Jackson arrived at
this camp about dark, and decided to
spend the night here and pursue his
homeward journey in the morning. His
bag of potatoes was deposited in the
camp, and he was arranging for fire,
when he was startled by a savage scream
which almost froze his blood, He had
heard similar sound before, and knew
that it was made by the most dangerous
animal Of the northern woods, the dread
ed American panther. He also knew
that if he remained where he was, he
would soon be attacked, and that the
old and rudely constructed camp would
afford him no protection. His only hope
and that, under the circumstances, a
folorn one, was in flight, and this he at
once resolved on. Selling his bag of
potatoes, for these were too important to
him to give them up without an effort to
save them, he bounded off through the
woods at rapid rate. He struck the
Little Androscoggin at the foot of Bry-
ants Pond; up to this time, he had
heard nothing more of the beast, and a
glimmer of hope entered his heart that he
was not pursued, but as he proceeded
along the river bank, this hope was dis
PEELED by the loud cry Of the animal,
which now seemed quite near. He now
felt the necessity Of putting forth every
effort, and to this end he threw away his
bag of potatoes and rushed through the
dark woods at an accelerated speed. He
heard nothing more of the panther for
some time, the animal probably having
found the bag of potatoes, and, impelled
by curiosity, had stopped to examine it,
hope again frightened, soon to be dis
PEELED by the terrible screams of the
beast, which now seemed nearer than at
any time before. The case was now
desperate, and Jackson felt that the ter
rible beast might spring down upon him
from any of the dark trees which seemed
to frown above his head. In running,
his hat was knocked off and he sped on
without it. 1t is p robable that the pam
,her stopped again to examine the hat,
and this gave the fugitive another short
respite. He rushed on, tearing his
clothes and scratching his face against
the brush which he could not see, and
guided by the sound of the rapids on the
river, along which his course lay. Again
he hoped he might escape his pursuer,
and again the dreadful cry reached him,
showing that the beast was still on his
track. Why the panther hesitated about
attacking him is hard to be understood.
1t may be, however, that, governed by
his cat-like nature, he was playing with
him, feeling it in his power to accomplish
his purpose at any time.
But jackson sped on, and now the
twelve long miles from the old camp are
nearly accomplished; his clearing appears
in view, but the river, which must be
forded, runs between him and his cabin.
He rushed into the water, and the pan
Their, having come into the clearing, and
with the instinct of his race taking In the
situation, and fearful of losing his in
tended prey, leaped in after him. Jack
SON gained little in the water, and near