The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-06-02

now pushed her kitten forward
at its restoration. It Climbed
over the bear and reached her, and she
took it in her mouth and backed out.
was a pleased man over this result, Tor
the cave was as hot as an oven, smelled
powerfully stout Of panthers, and the
powder smoke almost stified me. Being
o bit ratified had brought on an intense
thirst, and felt that had got to do
something pretty soon or suttocate.
Pretty soon crept forward, and began
pushing at the big carcass, but had not
been engaged over two or three minutes
when the panther returned. She had
carried her kitten to place OF safety,
and was now bent on revenge, She real
lied that the carcass must be got out OF
the way before she could come at me,
and had not seized the grizzly by the
ears and hung on she would have pulled
the body out OF the cave. She hung to
it for half an hour before she quit the
job, and then she retired in way which
left no doubt that she would watch at the
entrance.
When the panther had gone l struck
match and looked Mt my watch. 1t
was nearly noon, and was really suffer
ing for water. There was damp spot
on the rocks above my head, and licked
il with my tongue and in that way got
some relief, but would have tradedmy
whole outfit that day for one glass OF
cool water. felt that was in bad
box, and MS is generally the ease in such
instances, / thought Of every way out OF
it but the easiest one. reloaded my
revolver, and planned to wait until the
panther would leave the neigborhood,
but about 2 o'clock suspected from the
movements in the tunnel, that the one
had encountered had hunted up her
mate and brought him to the front.
Such soon proved to be the fact,
but as only one could enter the place
at a time, it was no advantage to
them. They took turns Juggling ut the
carcass OF the bear, and the new conner
would have dragged it out in short or
der but for my interference. There was
a space OF about six inches between the
body and the roof Of the tunnel, and
though the fumes OF the powder almost
choked me, showed my revolver along
until close to the panther, and then put
two bullets into him. He let go his
and backed out, and the way he did rave
up and down that ravine made my hair
stand. had wounded both, and nei-
Their OF them ventured into the place
again. For about an hour / heard them
growing and snarlingoutside, and every
click OF their claws on the rocks was
plainly audible, but by and by they gave
it up us Il bad job and went away.
It was now close on to o'clock, and |
l went at the carcass with the determiR-
alton to push It before me. It was
too late; the limbs had stitlened like
sticks, and the feet caught at every inc
quality and resisted my efforts. There
1 was, a man OF thirty, u giantin strength,
born hunter and an Indian fighter,
penned up like n rat and Just as help |
less. 1t came to the, even With all that
meat before me, that was doomed to
die OF hunger, and it was only us the
sun had almost been lost sight OF outside
that common sense returned to my aid.
The way to rid myself OF that carcass
was to cut it up, II ought to have oc-
CURED to me ut the very outset, but the
race and close pursuit had upset inc. l
had stout hunting knife, and l had
just begun work on the bear when |
heard the voices OF Indians outside; |
also heard them inside, for one of them
crcpt into the tunnel few feet and
shouted in his own language to his
friends outside:
at smells very strong OF bear In here,
but the beast doesn't seem to DO at
home"
He backed out after flinging several
missiles at the rear OF the cave, and from
the voices and movements | was salts.
fed that it was hunting party number
ing eight or ten persons. They set down |
right there for the night and built camp |
fire, which reflected rightinto the mouth
OF the tunnel, and Kept their chatter
a.going until nearly midnight. They
had three or four dogs with
them, and the miserable ours
took turns ut sticking their heads
into. the opening and trying to raise an
alarm. One Of the Indians encouraged
his dog to enter, and the animal came
almost to the dead bear, and raised such
fuss that had the red men been the
least suspicious they would have invest
igated. / did not get wink OF sleep
that long night, and was thankful man
to hear the Indians move of in the
morning about sunrise. They had no
sooner departed than l fell to work upon
the bear, and in the course OF half an
hour had cut him up SO that l could
squeeze out. As the Indians had gone
down the ravine from the mountains
expected they would discover my camp
and lie in ambush for me. There was
also a likelihood that the wild beasts |
had killed both mules during the night.
Luck was with me, however. The In
dams crossed the valley too high up to
discover my camp, and found the
mules safe and sound. That afternoon,
MS was looking after some traps set on
acreek about mile from camp, ! found q
panther dead in thicket, He was an
enormous fellow and had two bullet
wounds, and it did not take much Cogi.
tating to convince me that he was the
male OF the pair which sought to get ut
me in the cave. One OF the bullets had
gone square into his head, and almost
any other animal would have died ut
once, but he had not only survived it
for two or three hnprs, but had tray
eled a long live miles from the cave.
-$S
A Warning.
The modes of deaths approach are
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