The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-11
ADVENTURES WITH A PANTHER,
tEzsA@=xt


 a high order of merit, though not exten- sive and but hstle known to the present generation of AmeTlcan&
 passed through the cave Al that moment torrents of rain poured fem ] amidst these desolAte FecesxeS and pro- found chssms As I ereps with hands and feet along my imperfect bridge sudden gust had nearly whiEled me into the freKhtful abyss. To preserve myself vas ooliged to loose my hold of my burden and 1t Sell into the gull. AS soon as had effected my dangerous passage, screened myself behind chd and gave l myself up 10 reflection
 While thus occupied my attention was attracted by the trunk which fay across the gulf, and winch 1 had used ax l bridge. 1 perceived that II had already sonewhat sServed from Us original posi. l ton, that every bias, broke or icosene3 some of the fioers by which it's roots were connected with the opposite bank, and taat fl the storm dsd not speedily aoate, there wls imminent danger Of ITS being torn from the rock ard besng precIpta,ed l into the chasm. Thus my retreat would be cus oti. and the eviis from which @aS enceAvortng To res ue another would be exnertenced by m Selt.
 i believed my destiny to harg upon the speed ~ith which should TecroSs th,s eult. The moments that were spent 10 these delberauons were cri ,cal, and shuddered 10 observe that the runk was heid ID place by one or two hoers which were already stretched almost to breaking
 al. ka pery by the vet, and unsteadfASt by the w,pd vas evidently dangerous. To maintain my hold ID pAssIug In defiance ot the whrrl~ind, reqired the most VIZ. orous exertions, For this end II wAS aecexsasY so d.Scommode myself of my cloak and ot the volume.
 lust as had disposed ot these encum. bTa1ce>, and had iiSen from my seat, my attention vas again called to the op- posiee steep, by ike most unwelcome ob- rect that at thIs tune could possibly pye. sen, itself Some;hipg was perceived moving among the bushes and rocks, which, for tune. 1 hoped was DO morr than racccoa or opossum, but which presently appeared 10 be a panther. Ills gray coat, extended claws, fiery eyes. and a cry which he Si that moment uttered
 aud =5.ch, oy l;s resem blAnce to the bum an voice, IS peculiarly telrihc, de- noted b m 10 be the most teroeious and uutamaole of that d tested race The industry of our aunters has almost ban lShed animas of prey from these pre- cincts The fas,pesses oi Norwalk, how- ever could not bu; affotd refuge to some ot them. or late 1 had met them so rarely tha, my tears were seldom alive and trod, without caution 'he ruggedest and most solitary haunts. Suli, however had seldom been unpsovsded in my ram bies ~ith means of deiense.
 The unfreqnency with which had lately encou tered this foe, made me neglect on this occasion to bring with me my usual arms The beast that vas nos before me, when stimulated by hunger, was accustomed to asSail whatever could provide him with barque, of blood He would set upon the man and the deer with equal and irresistible terocity. Hts sagacity was equal to his strength, and he seemed able to discover when his antag- onist vas armed
 My past exp rence enabled me to esti. mate ,he full extent of my danger. He Sd: on the brow of the rock. eyeing the bridge, and apparently delibera,ing whether he should cross II. It was proba pie that he had only scented my footsteps thus far, but, should he pass over, his vigilance could scarcely fail of detecting my asylum.
 Should he retain his presen, station, my danger was scarcely lessened. To pass over in the face of famished tiger was only to rush upon my fate. The fAii- 1 ing of the trunk, which had been so anx- iousiy deprecated, was nov no less earn es;ly deslred- Every new gust h@ped would tear asunder its remaining bands. and, by cutting of all communication be- security. My hopes, however, were des- tined to be frustrated, the 6bres Of the prostra,e tree were obstinstely tenacious of their hold, and presently ihe animal scrambled do~n the rock and proceeded to cross it
 Of all kinds of death that which now mensced me vas the most abhoTed. To die of disease, or by the hand of feilov creature, was lenient in comparison with being rent to pieces by the fzngs of this savage. To perish in this obscure re- treat, to lose my portion of existence by % antoward and iEDoole a destiny, was irsupportAble- 1 bitterly deplored my rashDess in coming hither usprovided for an encounter hke thls. The evil of my presen, circumstances consisted chiefly in suspense. My death was unavoidable, but my imagination had leisure to tormen, itself by anticipa- tons. One foot of the savage ~ss slowly and cautiously moved after the other He struck h,s cia~. 90 deeply into the bark that they were difficulty ~ithdrzwn A, length he leaped upon the grouad. We were now sep ar4,ed by an interval of scarcely eight feet To leave the spot where l croGched was impossible. Be ] hind and beside me the ciiF rose perpen- ! dicuiAriy. and before me was this grim 1 and terrhc savage shrunk still closer 10 the ground and closed my eyes.
 From this pause of horror was aroused ! by the Hoise occasioeed oy a second | spring of the animal He leaned info in ]