The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-06
IN = PANrHER,s DEN.
The Thrilling Experience of q Party
of Leesburg Hunters.

Oh 165SOQTS
From the Leesburg (Fla.) Commercial
On Tuesday of last week Joseph E. Cap
linger Of Campbellsburg, KY, and W. g.
Engleman, s. z. Denny and F. Mohr of
Leesburg started for the Gulf coast on
camp hunt. The party first went to Ocala,
where supplies for the trip were LAID in,
after which they boarded at Silver Springs,
Orlando and Gulf train for Homossassa,
arriving there Tuesday night about s
o'clock After comfortable nights lodg-
ing and a hearty breakfast the following
morning the party started on their hunt
n'hey were in an excellent country for
game, and, after several days good fishing
and hunting on st. Martins river, they
pushed south and far into the interior.
Friday night the party halted at the
mouth of a small cave, possibly used by the
aborigines, desiring its shelter for the
night. 1t must have been l o'clock when
Mr.. Caplinger was suddenly awakened by
the savage growl of one of the deer hounds,
and Immediately heard the cracking of
leaves and dry twigs in the vicinity of the
camp. He at once awoke Mr. Engleman,
and not a moment too soon, for huge she
panther leaped into the camp, making night
hideous by her bowls. With one mad
bound she sprang upon Mr.. Denny,
who, luckily, had wrapped his
DOQy III buo pAObCCblDk 1OluS VI q uO1Nl
wooden blanket and a buffalo robe. his
head being protected by protruding rock,
the others having prepared to do battle
with this dangerous intruder. Fortunately,
Mr.. Caplinger carried with him a huge
bowie knife, presented by friend of this
place on the eve of his departure, and, re-
realizing the peril of his friend, he sprang
forward and plunged the blade deep into the
side of the beast, before he had been in
iuraA Tho HQCTQrQfQ action of Mr. FAN
linger almost cost him his life, for no sooner
did she feel the cold steel than the now
thoroughly il furiated panther sprang
upon him, with mad growl. Fiercely
the battle ragged. Again he plunged the
bowie knife into her body up to its
hilt and, throwing up his left arm, to
his horror felt her long teeth penetrate it,
and her powerful jaws close upon it. With
the madness of despair, and by quick and
dexterous effort, he plunged the knife deep
into her mouth, which forced the beast to
relax her hold. Before the battle had
longer proceeded Mr. Engleman quickly
seized his Winchester rifle and, presenting
the muzzle to the panther's head, put a
bullet through it, and she fell dead. Mean
while, Mr.. Denny had not been idle In
disengaging himself from the robe and
blanket which had doubtless saved him
great injury, bis keen perception discerned
the shining eyes of another panther in a
thicket not ten feet away. With remark
able celebrity he seized his trusly rifle and
fired. the bullet passing directly between
the eyes of the newcomer. which proved to
be a panther of tremendous size Several
other shots were fired to make sure the
execution.
There was no more sleep in the camp that
night; anticipating further surprise the
hunters observed marked degree of wake
fulness, but before many minutes had
passed a party of Seminoles, attracted by
the firing, appeared upon the opposite side
of the bayou. They were friendly, and,
quickly swimming the stream, gazed with
admiration upon the results of the en-
counter, expressing a high regard for the
proves of their white brothers. Mr.. Cap
fingers wound having begun to pain him
acutely, the medicine man of the Indians
applied herbs to the arm and soon he was
feeling quite comfortable again.
An exploration of the cave was then de-
termined upon, and after going down they
knew not how far the base was reached.
To their surprise they discovered four
young cubs and quickly dispatched them.
They had camped at the mouth of pan
theirs den! Around the cave were strewn
the bones of different animals, and in one
corner were the whitened bones of human
skeleton. Looks Of horror were depicted
upon the countenances of the red men as
Vney RdZeu upon IL, lOT dG buS saLho lline
they found articles of dress
which convinced them that those
were the remains of a departed brave
The bones we're carried to the mouth of
the cave and drawing his hunting knife, one
young Indian skinned the she panther, and
swore by the great spirit that it should be
the winding sheet of their dead brother.
The panther had many scars, which was
conclusive evidence that the Indian had
fought desperately. He used to take long,
solitary hunts, as the party learned, and
from this one never returned. Throughout
the remaining virgils of the night the Sem
inoles watched over the remains of their
departed brave, until at last day dawned.
The entire party breakfasted on jerked
venison and coffee, and this over the Semi
noles offered to conduct their pale face
friends out of the swamp. This proposition
was gladly accepted, for they had pene-
trated so far that they would have found
their yvav ont with difficulty