The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-19
A FIGHT WITH A PANTHER.
Exciting Experience in q Swampin South
ern Florida.

cru EtOTkoa.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
All at once Jack bristled MP his back and be-
gan baying in a very decided and angry manner.
his nose pointing mp into q big oak tree that
rose towering above Us, its thickly leaved
branches shutting out nearly all the light.
.What is it, old boyl" said /. addressing the
dog, but his barking only became sngrler, and
he showed some signs of fear, as well.
Look out, Yank!' called out my guide. all at
once. as he stood off to one side trying to pierce
the blackness or the tree overhead. Jump
quick. or you'll be q eoner."
1 ttempte to obey his warning, but as
moved l involuntarily glanced up just in time TO
see a panthers wild and ferocious face appear
ment his long, 1.-the body sprang at me. |
jumped forward, but q projecting root hit my
foot. aud fell headlong on my face. The pan
theirs leap was wild, and his impetus carried
him over my fallen body. As he struck the
o struggle that for nervousness could hardly be
equaled. The panther sprang at the dog as the
latter seized him and attempted TO rip him MP,
but old Jacks agility saved him, and he danced
around his foe with loud bays and open jaws,
dashing In now and then 20 take . good nip when
the opportunity presented The fight was car
ried on around aud across me, and my stout
clothing only saved me from rough treatment
from the struggling animals. All at once | heard
q loud explosion and the whizz of a rife ball as
it buzzed by, and its dull ping as it struck the
panther The wounded animal fell on me, and
II. its furious struggles with Jack. who instant
~ dashed at its throat, my clothes were almost
torn Of No and / received many severe
scratches. Maddsned by the wounds, / instinct
lively drew my hunting knife and. waiting Q
chance, partially turned over and thruas il time
and again into the panther's side. The rush of
blood that followed squirted into my face. al
most sutfocating me. Suddenly something
seized my legs and I was drawn from my peril
Gus position. Staggering to my feet as l felt
myself free, / saw that the old Cracker was the
means Of saving ne. Turning to the ARRAY. /
saw that the knife bad done it's work, as the old
cat was just g~aspine, while brave Jack still
held his hold on the animals throat.
well, Yank,r said the old hunter, az he
calmly reloaded his rifle, shat wuz q narrsr
squeak for ye. That wuz q big TN sn'-oh, my
laudyF' Turning to see what occasioned this
sudden interruption, rs | was clearing my face
from the panther's blood that so plentifully
bathed il, / was amazed 20 see the old fellow
jump to one side and theoretically endeavor to
ram home the bullet Jack, too. rose with Q
deep growl. cycling the tree above Us sus-
piciously. On the still sir there arose all az
once q wild. horrible scream, combining rage,
anger and revenge, and across my eyes there
flashed a lClR yellow streak as a monstrous
female pantf ST jumped from a big limb, some
twenty feet 1p. directly toward our guide. j
was so weak and overcome bv the suddenness of
the previous combat that 1 involuntarily shut
my eyes. expecting to hear the hunters death
cry. Instead of that l heard a peculiar sound
like cloth tearing or ripping. and then ensued
the most internal bowling. scratching. yelling
and screaming that ! r~ecollect ever having
heard.
L opened wide my eyes. and at once a strange
aud most peculiar sight burst upon them.
There, not fifteen feet from me, and not ten
from the guide, was the cid panther, literally
spit upon q big light wood stump. A medium
sized pine tree had been burned-all save its
heart-at some time. This latter, about seven
feet tall and one foot in diameter at the butt,
tapered to a very sharp point at its top. The
cid guide lodged behind this when he frat saw
the panther. The latter. in its blind rage TO
revenge the death of her mate. did not notice
the stub, and in jumping for its intended prey
fell short and was impaled on the short spit.
The force OF the leap forced the
irou-like wood through the animals body,
the point projecting o foot or more.
There the animal was, and as it ragged
to get off its anger seemed the very incarnation
OF fendish fury, rage and pain. 1t could not
touch the ground with its feet, but its paws
splio;ered the wood Of the old stub in its mad
efforts to raise its body up. 1t snarled at Us and
at the dog, and then IL would bite Oft huge
~splinters OF wood and sAvagely chew them up
into bits Old Jack recovered his surprise hrst
and made q leap for the panther. He miscalcu-
lated. however, and the panthers long claws
raised the skin on his back in one long, cruel
looking wound. With q howl of pain and mad
ness the dog turned. and watching his chance
sprang on the cats launches and began tearing
off huge mouthfuls. Our guide had by this
time recovered from his stupor. occasioned by
his surprising deliverance. and having loaded
his rife placed she muzzle close TO the head or
the now dying. but still savage panther and
killed her at once.