The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-07-01
A Hunters Thrilling Expert
ence in the Woods.
ATTACKED BY A PANTHER
A Second Panther Rush in to Avenge
the Death of Its Mate and
Impales Itself

DemOcrGt) introduced himself to q
Florida cracker in the wilds of the
Esmeranda hammock, on the Withla.
coochee river, short time since.
"Howdy, Yank?" was the equally
sententious and non-committal re-
Spouse of the native.
This was rather disheartening, for
"Yanks" even now are held in none toe
high esteem by the genus homo who
still inhabit the gloomy. recesses OF
the Withlacoochee swamps. He was q
typical representative of the Florida
cracker,-tall, gaunt, clad in garments
half skins and half cloth, with
an old goldier-cap on his head
his sharp, shrewd eyes watching
me closely from under his half-oloseG
eyelids. His ragged. clay-red whiskers
disguised face the sallowness of which
plainly denoted that he lived where
| Quinine was an essential part of the
daily fare. He looked stolid, shiftless
and ignorant, and none too well
| pleased, apparently, at having met me.
Yet the case was one of necessity with
me, and l fastened to explain my stu
alton, for l was lost, though much l
disliked to own it to the backwoods
man, for his i'll concealed sneer made
me mad clear through.
Jack, my pet dog, and l had left the
ferry early in the morning for days
hunt, as game was very abundant.
Lured by the destinations OF the beauti-
full plumed birds, the big gray squirrels,
al ~ o oF
solitudes. l had strayed too far, and
here, at 3 in the afternoon, was absolutely
lost. While studying over the absurd
and perhaps disagreeable situation, q
low groWl from Jack drew my attention
to the hunter above alluded to, with
the introduction that followed. at
tempted to get in his good grace by ex-
planning, in his own vernacular, my
troubles, II left Pember ton this morn
ing an done gone outen after deer. l
done kept long by the 'Cooshee right
smart chance, bat havin' right poke
Yank luck, dun struck out into ther
pIney woods an back fats, lowing
furter get sumthin in desc yer high
hammicks. l lowed that 1 knowed
the way, but, after gettin' right smart
lot of burds, and a couple of coons, l
find I'm leetle out. | reckon you
might help me outen this"
The old fellow grinned at the idea of
a Yank trying to get through thes
woods without guide, but the hospi-
tally of the cracker, which is his great
virtue, proved to be uppermost, and
he gave rue a hearty invitation to his
cabin, saying: You al 'av had
right pore spell, stranger, but tote
yersel' down yon dis yer way to my
cabin an make Their night with me.
Hits terrible chance from dis yer
jes nigh twenty sights (about a mile)
reckon, an we KANT get thar afore
shutdown less we move pow full lively"
IN the thick hammock the suns
bright beams penetrated but slightly,
and the weird twilight light look made
everything appear III very uncanny
light.
We proceeded along thusly for mile
or so, when all at once Jack bristled up
his back and began baying in very de-
cided and angry manner, his nose
pointing up to big oak tree that rose
towering above US, its thickly leaved
branches, shutting out nearly all the
light.
"What is it, old boy?" said 1, ad-
dressing the dog; but his barking only
became angrier, and he showed some
signs of fear as we'll.
"Look out, Yankr" called out my
guide, all at once, as he stood off to
one side, trying to pierce the darkness
of the tree overhead. Jump quick, or
yen be a goner."
l attempted to obey his warning,
but as l moved involuntarily glanced
up Just in time to see panther's wild
and ferocious face appear in the leaves
nearly over me, and the next moment
his long, 1.-the body sprang at me.
[ jumped forward, but projecting
root hit my foot and l fell headlong
on nv face. The panther's leap was
wild, and his impetus carried him oyer
nv fallen body. AS he struck the
old Jack grabbed him, and
then ensued a struggle that for fero-
ciousness could hardly be equaled.
The panther sprang at the dog as the
latter slezed him, and attempted to rip
him up; but old Jacks agility saved
him, and he danced around his foe
with loud bays and open jaws, dash
ing in now and then to take a good
nip when the opportunity presented.
The fight was carried on around and
across me, and my stout clothing only
saved me from rough treatment from
the struggling animals. All at once |
heard loud explosion and the whizz
of a rife ball as it buzzed by
and it's dull ping as it struck
the panther. The wounded animal
fell on me, and in its furious struggles
with Jack, who instantly dashed at its
throat, my clothes were almost torn off
of me, and l received many severe
scratches. Maddened by the wounds |
instinctively drew my hunting knife,
and waiting a chance partially turned
over, and thrust it time and again into
the panther's side. The rush of blood
that followed squirted into my face, al
most suffocating me. Suddenly some
thing seized my legs, and l was drawn
from my perilous position. Staggering
to my feet as l felt myself free, saw
that the old cracker was the means Of
saving me- Turning to the affray,
saw that the knife had done its work,
as the old cat was just dying, while
brave Jack still held his hold on the an
imel's throat.
well, Yank," said the old hunter, as
be calmly reloaded his rife, that waz
a narrer squeak for We. That was big
un an'-oh, my laudy !" Turning to
see what occasioned this sudden inter
ruption, as l was cleaning my face
from the panther's blood that so
nIantifuliv hathed IT. I was amazed tn