West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-12-02
A THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
AN ARKANsAS HUNTERS FIGHT
WITH A PANTHER.
Trying Co Capture Cub Alive
freed by the Mothor Panthcr--A
Narrow Escape.


indulgcd In 10y the hunters who live in
the region of the dense swamps OF SoNth.
western Arkansas, ~ said Taiooti kialc, n
resident of Little Rock, "that ferocious
animal being still abundant In those al.
most mac -cssiblc junglcs. Dogs OF iino
breed, and especially trained for the dan
gerous work, ate used III pacl;s on these
hunts, and the hunters follow the trail
mounted OF the small but powerful In
dian ponies that are common on the
Southwestern Dor lCrS
Bruce Weston an cd tine Arkansas
hunter, ollowed his dogs oacc on pan
theirs trail, and came up wIth them where
they had treed the game in n big oa< trOc.
The foliug, was so thick and he shadows
so deep IN the timber that il was somo
time before Weston disc vcrcd the pan.
ther. IL lay between two branches forty
feet from the ground and cluug so ,losely
TO the boughs tEat mono but tue praeticcd
eye of the hunter would have dc cctcd It's
presence. Weston at once lecogni q / in
the croucmng figure a apaLthcr's cub, AMI
was on tho point of SO ding n ridle ball
through its DO ly when lac re rendered
an offer OF s that some one in the set
tlcmcnt had made fora 1.-Two panther, aud
he resolved 20 capture thlS unn aud sc-
cure tho I 20. Taking his iasso from his
pouy's saddle, and with his long knife in
his bet for use in an emor- oncy, he
climbed tho tree. lie reached the lower
branches of the tree, and, swinging him
self from bough 20 bOugh, stood lust be-
low the cub, which ad arisen TO It's roct
aud stood VITA archie buck looking
down AT tho hunter. Weston removed
his lassO from his shoulder and wasabout
10 toss it easily over the young panther's
n ad, when, as lie raj cd hls eyes. he
saw crouching' IN the dead branches Of
tree which grew near the oak so near
that the limbs were interlaccd an enOr-
nous pan her, the mother Of the cub.
ready for spring. She was hardly
three PAGES away. Without "A seconds
deliy oston stepped from the branch
lac was standing on to one which brought
him with the trunk OF Ihe tree between
him and the old panther lie wns lust
in time, for ut that instant the mother OF
the cub lcapcd on the spot he had left,
and stood ga ing with fiery eyes on the
hunter, who, W th one arm Clnsped
around branch, held in his ght hand
ms bare knife, ns with ovcry b cath he
drew he expected TO sec II c enraged ami.
NAL spring down upon him Standing
only the trCaChCf Gus footing OF "a limb
few inches thick. Weston knew that
he was lost unless by tact and skill lac
was able 10 gradually make SWAY bnck
60 tn" foot of the tree without irritating
the fierce beast into prcciptatina an at
tack upo1 him. Fortunately, the cub
left Its place higher up and lclpod down
TO the branch on which its mother
stood, glaring at Weston, who was al
most near enough to her TO feel her hot
breath. This movement OF the cubs
distracted the attention OF the old pan
ther, and We ton, 'shcathing his knife
III his belt, dropped 60 "A lower limb
The panther noticed the movement, and
sprang 20 The limb below whGro she
stood, and prevented w ston from re-
treating further ,..
Tine dogs all this time were frazv
with excitement ot the foot Of the tree,
and gnawcd at the trunk aud tore up the
ground in their frantic anxiety to yet
at the game so far nbo 20 their reach.
Weston, seeing tht Lis retreat was cut
off, and not daring 20 risk u struggle
with the pan her where the slightest mis-
step would dO h him headlong to death,
returned 20 his old position i'm thc tree.
and the panther followed bin. Keepino.
by great effort his body covered by
the trunk of the tree, Weston climbed
still higher, hoping IN reach strong
creeper that extended from the upper
part Of the oak 81 "a tree u few feet way.
believing thIt he might let himself by his
hands al ny the Inc 10 the other tree bv
VIII ch he cou d easily reach the ground
, Tn Crecpcr was strongly fastened on
the oak, and nc supposed il was NJ Sc
/ cure on ihc other tree Weston got as
far rs tho crcepcr without tn lanthcr
showing any d spOsit on to follow him
but he had just seize IL and was irving
his weight carefully on il, Keeping his
eyes on the animal below, when the
mother Of the cub seemed 10 be moved
with rrD we fury, for fprang 20 r.
b anch above, and go made her way to
the outer tdge Of the branches toward
the top Of the tree, q e.idontly intending
to head the hunter o L and spring down
upon bin. West n saw what she was IN.
ten ling 10 DO, and hc knew the ~ uQgle.
whicl Cotld have but one result, was in-
eyitablc unless be- could reach the thick
| branches of the DciQhbOring tree by
m ans of the come ting vine by the me
tho panther reached her vantage grOlnd
abOrC b m lie grIspcd the G cepcr and
swung himself Of Of the brpucb The
vine gave way ~ It's fabcnings on the
other tfcc and Weston kecpnz his hold.
was swung back in @ the oak and brought
down 90 the very branch on which the
pun hrs cub wns ouchinQ fnstaotlv.
with yell that resounded thro lgh the
woods for obO q The turmoil OF the do1s
below. The mother panther came bound
ing doHu from The top or the tire t0 the
protection of hcr young Weston knew
there was no escape now uu.oss o. de-
pirate plan that flashed through bis
mind IA ull sIccoed iu giving % new
turn o. the per l,us sifuo ion Drawing
[ bis kni from hi belt he plunged it n o
the whining cub a hs feef. and az the
sn time kicked it loose from the limb.
/ 10 felt in tho midst OF tue d lQs below
I Just a5 its mother sura1Q ON the branch
! above tie hunters head The siQht Of
/ her cub being 30 by the dogs. and the
/ cries 10 gave, turned her 40 entiOn en-
I tircly from Weston and. with a blood
7 curd Ing cry, he leapcd from the high
perch boz tne tree aud alighted on the
I dogs Weston } 50 no time iu getting 10
I fhc ground and sciliu0 DIS ri @. AT.
though but n few seconds were occupied
In doing this. a.i fte Of Die do1- were
stretch dead on tho ground. torn 20
utarea bv fha fuluriofod nanfIrr ia lr