The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-04-21

glanced up among Inc ioPs VI eno 80"
trees bordering the swamp, and discov-
cred the panther. his huge length
stretched along limb near the top of
one of the trees. ana his eyes liked on
the hunter below. Brown raised his
rifle to fire, but the agile animal sprang I
to another tree top, and so swift were
his movements that he escaped from
the sight of the hunter, who could only
follow the line of the beasts retreat by
the swaying of the tree tops as the
panther lcaped from one to another.
The course the panther took was to-
ward Doubling Run, and Brown made
his way as rapidly as he could through
the intervening thicket and when ne
reached the run he found that the pam
Their had come down from the trees and
had taken course through the snow
toward Lewis Lake. now the mountain
summer resort of Eagles Mere.
The tireless hunter followed the trail
through the dense forest, and 1t leo
him straight to the lake, distance OF
| five miles, and around the southern
shore for two miles more. when Brown
discovered his game drinking from the
lake. The present site of the Eagles
Mere steamboat landing is pointed out
as the spot where the great panther
stood and received Captain Browns
first bullet. The shot did not disable
the panther, and it sprang into the
laurels and again disappeared, leaving
the echoes of its yells reverberating
about the rocky shores of the lake. The
course of the panther lay toward the
outlet of the lake, and Captain Brown
followed through the dense growths OF
laurels. When he came to the outlet ne
discovered the panther half buried in
the soft mud at the edge of the water.
It was treating the wound it had re-
ceived, as is the instinct of wild ami
mails of its kind. The hunter did not
wait for the panther to enjoy the benefit
of the healing mud, but sent another
J. bullet after his first Again the tena-
: cious beast sprang into the thicket, but
y Captain Browns quick eye saw that
his last shot had been an effective one,
$ and he still followed the trail. now
marked by blood. From the direction
q the wounded animal took the sklllful
II woodsman knew that it was making FOL
N the rocky recesses further down tho
I, course of the outlet. at a spot nov
u famous as the Rainbow Falls. There
z the creek flows through deep ravine
Is and the faces of the rocks are cut ant
CT scanned by assures and deep ravines.
n The hunter, now sureo of his trophy
s. followed more leisurely than he had
&c and when he came to the head or top
Sc the falls, where perpendicular rocl
o. towers nearly fifty feet above tn
IN stream, at its base being a roomy bu
X dark cavarn, he saw the enormou
at body of the panther stretched on tn
lg ground at the mouth of the cave
Us Brown clambered along the rock
d. which Rugged the water SO closely tina
OF passage was difficult and dangerous
and at last reached the fiat rock whic
he covers space Of several feet betwee
Ter the cave and the waters edge. In
he WAYS of panthers were we'll known
'ar the hunter, as he had learned them
OF rough experience; but he was so certai
ne that this great beast that lay stretcht
in at the mouth of its den had died in i
'ge efforts to reach that retreat that he lai
the down his gun, and taking his kni
et- from its sheath advanced upon the pro
lad trate beast to claim its magnificent SIX
CHI as his reward for the long chase.
ing reached the side of tho panther. al
rid was about to bend down and commen
ma stripping it of its skin. when the gre
eds beast sprang to its feet as quick
Ini- lightning, and with yell that almc
one deafened the surprised hunter. thre
de- itself upon him. The force OF the sho
threw Brown several feet away. on t
UNI rock. It was not only blow that t
the panther gave him, but as the infurlat
tier animal struck it buried its long cla'
ing in the hunters thick buckskin shirt a
ion ripped it from him from neck to wal
hat Brown still retained his knife in
n grasp and struggled to quickly reg'
pts. his feet. He rose to his knees. and
had he did so the crouching panther leap
be- toward him. Quick as flash the w;
,hly hunter threw himself on his back on
Their oround. But for that the panther,
own ing through the air with wonder
was velocity, would have struck him
he carried him along in the fight. A
any was. the panther passed over him.
,ers. Rapidly as the panther's leap carr
/ it through the air, Browns eye
and hand were quicker still. The hunt'
after keen, long-bladed knife. thrust upw
yseii as the huge body of the panther
we passing over him as he lay. was plum
almost to the hilt in the animal.