Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-01-19
LEAPlNc PANTHER
Ehe Great Feat That Won = Main. -
dian His NlcknamA

The Great Feat That Won q Main. =.
| diaa His Nickname.
| In the western part of Oxford Coun.
y. where three towns adjoin. are fve
small lakes called the Five Kexars.
whose outlet is Kezar river, a branch
of the Saco. About half q mile from
the source of this stream, in the town
Of Lowell is = cascade, where the
water pours in torrent into q deep
basin thirty feet below the top of the
tails. forming considerable whirl-
pool. as it strikes into the rivers bed.
which renders the measurement of the
depth of water at this place exceed
ingly difficult. The width of these
tails is about twenty feet
Sometime about 1900. or a few wears
later. band of Indian hunters was
one autumn month hunting in this
region. They found the river and
lake literally swarming with trout.
while otter. beaver. mink and other
fur-bearing animals abounded. For
several weeks the hunting and fishing
continued with much success, as light
we'll be expected under the circum-
stances, but no game of the larger
kinds had as yet been taken. and one
morning one of their number. tired Of
the kind OF sport they had been hav-
ing. started out alone with his fowling
piece and two dogs for a days hunt
to the hills and mountains at the
northward. All day long he tramped.
but without finding any trace of
moose. deer or bear.
As the sun went down behind the
hills, he was passing over Sabaeis
mountain, on his way back to camp.
Nearing its base, he heard stealthy
footsteps behind him. and, turning, he
discovered that large. cat-like ami
NAL. called the panther, was following
him.
Of all the animals of the New En-
gland forest in the olden time, this
was the only species an Indian is said
to have feared.
The dogs were attacked and killed.
Anticipating this result and fearing
that his turn might come next, he had
started off on the run as fast as his
legs would carry him. as soon as his
faithful dogs began to show fight He
ran some distance when he was
brought to standstill by hearing the
panther screech near him. and he
turned at bay. 1t was no use to run
now, for further flight would be dam
gerous. he thought, and with trem-
bling hands he raised his gun to fire at
the animal which had sprung into q
tree as he stopped. Being too agi-
tated to take good aim. he hesitated.
''Me no shoot. Indians gun wiggled
so." was his explanation. when after
wards relating what took place at this
critical point in his adventure.
Finally his nerves steadied. and TAX
ing aim at the place in the animals
head between the eyes that shone at
him like two balls of fire, he pulled the
trigger. and without waiting to ascer.
tain the effect of his shot, he turned.
and throwing his gun away. started off
on the run again. He heard the pam
Their bound out of the tree after him.
and strike the earth with heavy thud.
and frightened nearly out of his wits
he rushed through the forest at his
highest rate of speed. He was now
in the valley of the Kezar river Com
ing to the falls he saw and felt the
seriousness of the situation he now
found himself in. Should he leap into
The stream above the falls? The cur
rent would surely sweep him over
hem. Farther down? Then he would
be drawn into the whirlpool thirty
'eet below. Could he place the river
himself and his foe, he might
nave chance of safely getting away.
This one means of escape. and this
me only, seemed open to him. and
the panther to be close at
lis heels. in his instinct of self-preser-
-ation and fear of the deadly animal
,ehind having nerved him for the ef-
ort. he sprang out over the falls in
mighty leap and was fortunate in land
ng safely on the other side. Had he
missed his footing he would have been
Tiled as surely as if the panther had
cached him. But lie was not yet safe.
8 he thought. for what he could leap
he panther would easily be able to do
e reasoned. and as soon as he found
imsel on the other side he set out for {
Is friends. making the best time he
fss capable Of L
A run of four or FIVE miles brought
i'm within sound of the band, who
ew to his relief and carried him
realty exhausted into camp. They
'ere much excited upon learning Of I
is adventure and the loss of the dogs. {,
The next day number Of the Indi- {
rs with some white settlers went to I
he scene Of the hunters encounter
18th the panther, where they found {
,e animal dead. and few feet away
as his gun which had been abandoned ,
J his hasty flight
Tradition says that the panther was {