The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-29
HUNTING THE PANTHER.
An Excursion Into a Wild Region-Narro
Escape of ID. Moody Boynton.
New Orleans Letter.

! New Orleans Letter.
Our party numbered thirty, more than half
| being gentlemen fully equipped for hunting
Our route lay due westward 218 miles by rail,
after which would come yachts. This ride by
| rail occupied nearly day entire, but extended
through region as fascinating as unheard Of
region of smiling bayous, bridged on piles OF
Spliced iron 100 feet in Depth of delightful land
scape, rich in majestic live oaks, festooned with
| Spanish moss and endless wild rose hedges Of
haunting fragrance. Now, as we went on
| past the Vermillion and the Mentau rivers,
| past the Chafalaya and Morgan CITY,
where the great steamers go rocking down
| to Vera Cruz-through all the curious Sugar
| bowl" country, past Joe Jefferson's plantation,
and past wonderful pillar of natural salt, on
| through the peaceful parishes where grog shops
never grow. and as we neared the village of Lake
Charles, where the boats awaited US, sentiment
| al feelings were in order. But there was subtle
| sustenance in the knowledge that Louisiana
millionaire chaperoned us, and that the chef and
corps in charge of our cuisine were specially en-
gagged from leading New Orleans hotel. 1t is
such trifiing conditions that soften the ADVERSE
| ties Of life.
| Somebody whispered in my ear: What
| funny looking craft"
We were on the wharf inspecting our yacht.
| Two quarter boats and steamer of four-ton
! power, rugged tandem-wise. The boat next the
| steamer carried horses, buggies and coops OF
| young chickens and loads of other provisions
more or less alive and lively. The second boat
was 90 by 16 feet marvel of ingenuity, pine and
1 canvas.
| Half an hour later we had weighed anchor aud
| started southwark for the Calcasieu This
lonely but beautiful lake was point of interest
| to many OF US, since from its shores one might
obtain an excellent view of the wonderful opera
/ lions In progress to reclaim marsh lands.
| 1t was night when our fleet entire entered
| twenty foot wide channel, part of the system of
canals which are being cut two miles to the hour
lengthwise and crosswise of the region. A
scene more weird or picturesque it were hard to
| imagine. Oneither side tall reeds were tapping
| in the wind, their treetoad tenants croaking in
| melancholy monotone. And far and wide over
| the cypress growth spread the ghostly glare Of
| electric light to vie with the moons white bless
| ing For night as well as day, the working Of
| the various machinery is perpetual on this land
The steady coiling and recoiling of the great
chain cables on the engine drums, the heavy
wheeled plough carts drawn forward and back
ward from engine to engine, from canal
| levee to another, the signal lamps flashing from
| shore to shore, the pumping and the pouring
| Out-all these are endless as the rising and SET
! ting OF the sun. In silence we stood watchius.
and recognizing enterprise of magnitude
whose initial chapter only is the emitting of thest
deep channels for drainage and irrigation. This
done, wo-thirds, perhaps, of the area will be de-
voted to rice culture, whose profit will average
$l00 per acre, and no labor required. Southern
ers would as soon not labor. And if any one
dislikes the article in question let him remember
that onehalf the entire population of the world
| subsist on rice.
| There being no liquor sold in Cameron parish,
|
it follows there are no criminals, lawyers. or po-
! licemen A singular condition for town like
| Leesburg, which boasts telephone connection
| with Lake Charles thirty five miles distant.
very good telephone this was, by the way as we
had occasion to test it. We were anchored at
Leesburg, to receive some of the natives-charm-
ing people, with marvellous costumes--when
| word came dow to the wharf "There's a man
aboard that's left behind at Lake Charles
| We thought at once of the honorable Bos-
tonian who had failed to gather with US at the
''Nyorleens" depot
! HAS he broad browed side whiskered- Court
1 of-St. James voiceP we inquired
| Precisely"
'"Thank Heaven! tits e. Moody Boyntonr
We all rushed up town to the telephone Office.
Coming, by the mail boat, said a benign
voice thirty-fve miles away. 'Wait for me-"
We all cheered. We did more than wait: wa
| sent the mionaire's tiny steam yacht the
Xantha which forgot to mention had accom-
| panied us up the Calcasieu, with committee to
| meet and welcome the gentleman. The rest of
us remained at Leesburg and gathered sea shells.
| By this time we had all become pleasantly at
| tached as compagnons de voyage. The belated
| Bostonian arriving safely, we proceeded on our
way to the Gulf, pausing but once twice to
| interview orange groves and fig trees to stom-
! ach's content Thirty-six hours later we had
| weathered the Gulf entered the Sabine Pass,
| and were steaming up the yellow Sabine river.
| 1t had been arranged for the hunters in the
| crowd. among whom were counted Mr.. Gran
| vile Shaw, the champion shot of Louisiana to
leave the boat somewhat north of Orange City
| and proceed into the woods. But there is
| though known to few outside of the immediate
| vicinity-located half way between the Sabine
and the Calcasieu snail but dense forest,
| jungle, in truth in which nest Of wild beasts
| howl and prowl. These beasts are known TO
the few aware of their existence as the Louisi-
| ana panthers. They large and ferocious,
1 and at times may be heard bowling as far off as
| the Calcasieu. We were, for the most part, dis
posed to scott at the notion. Panthers in Louis
RT1f We oc Panaa from Ira,
sources that it was true.
The next thing of note to occur was the Bos
ton gentlemans expressed desire to hunt these
creatures Now, when Boston man has blood
| in his eye and trusty weapon, all panthers
| within a radius of hundred miles would better
creep into their little holes and pull the holes in
too. party of six brave souls set out with
horses and buggies, driving thus across country
| tothe near neighborhood of the jungle, whore.
lettering their beasts, they began to reconnoitre
| on foot. The Boston gentleman and the cham
| pion shot took the lead The earth was moder-
| ately dry and firm But the forest was thick
| with ponderous live oaks, heavily hung with
| moss and darkened with cypress underground.
The men looked well to their guns, then peered
through foliage, and anxiously scanned tho
| lower branches of the oaks.
They had not long to wait. No more than five
minutes had elapsed when q startled cry from
some one in the rear brought swift, advisory
| "Hush' from the champion shot. Not three
yards ahead, outstretehed at full length upon a
| massive live-oak limb was a terrible, yet beau
tiful sight More yellow than the foam of the
Sabine and strong, and slick and supple, with
eyes like wells of smoldering fire. The men
| stared as if fascinated. A second later the Bos-
ton gentleman pressed sharply forward, took
eager aim. and pulled the trigger. But for some
yet unexplained reason the gun missed fire A
growl-a groan from the men. who seemed trans
fixed, and the beast leaped down upon the Bos-
| tonian. The smoke rolled away the Boston
| gentleman lay motionless beneath the tawny
weight; but the panther was dead A single
shot from GRANVILLE Shaws rifle had done the
| work Mr. Boynton soon extricated himself un-
hurt 1t was splendid creature measuring six
or seven feet from nose tip to tip of TAIL Mr.
Shaw presented the hide to the Boston gentle.
| man for his collection of rarities-
| General Grant and the Kentucky Girl.