The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1891-03-12
THE pANTIIEn'S PREY.
Vivid Doscr ption of TraC ay f,
tho Suash ne.

Bow tho Aefl- Bcas. Af .iref r?or .
Sicepins Ini aa's i.-s.ss--i = va.e
ssiriek Suc-cc es a ssr-srtr
CasveD Sf-n:ge.
Breaking saddenfy through the cedar
ihicket- stood. writes 4 Det-oit FREQ
Press correspondent. on the vcr.' cdgs OF
the cliff--at the top of q ra-r,sd wall
which rose almost sour hundred 10 t
from the green gra sof tho valley. From
ny porch could see for 6fty miles "
the west
Nature never made a moro perfect day
In the Western yaouutains. Every
thing, living or. dead. was bathcd in sin-
shine, and there was such intense quiet
ness ahat heard tho swish of "a buz-
sard's wings as he sailed over Efy bead
30 high that he seemed no l..rTer thaR o
fotir
Iturn from the distant landscape and
yoo!s down into the valley. Half mile
srom the foot CT the wall-yet seeming
scarce o stones throw away-is a camp
lo-a camp fro which sg,oldcrs and
sends up thin, lazy column Of blue
smokc. Thirty feet from .he a-c- lying
on the broad of bis back on the grass
with hat over his face, is human fig
arc. II is that of an Indian ioa can
seil tha; by his po iSioa.
It is a camp, then tho camp Of pair
or trio OF Indian hunters belonging to
she reservation. II is their land. and =
here il any trespassing a;a the guilty
ene. Where ttis hunters companions
are ! know not, but the y nave left him
alone .or the tins and he has improved
che opportunity 10 sleep. So quict-so
peaceful-so flooded with sunshine that
no spot can be safer for one bound in
Tho chains of slumber.
Looki Five hundred feet beyond the
body is q cedar thicket. Between the
Body and t!Dr thicilet arc scattered
rccks-a sort of ous-cr9p. My eye was
simply passing over this ground when
Is detected q movement in the thicket
For long minute ! keep my gaze fast
ened on the spot and FOR some uncX,
planned rcason my heart beats faster.
Was it deer? A grizzly would hardly
be found there. Perhaps it is wild
horse, or steer which has broken from
the herd over tho ridge. w&tca and
wait
Good Heavens! A great tawny beast
etfaes out Of the ihickct and stands for
. moment smiling the air. Ii is the
panther of the mcun,a:ns-agilc, fierce
6nd having the sire a-th OF the tiger, F5e
scent comes down to him on the i,rceze,
shough can not fael breath os air
stirring lie suii5s 81 the right, TO the
scft; he points Straight nc the sleeping
nau- Death has marked down victim.
Now wa;cA! Tho beast Sinks down to
the earth. stretches cut paw-pulis
his body along the grass shows sup
plenesss which even tho tiger can not
display The first rock is ID his left
Eve yards away. lie c:ls the cover Of
Il, and his every l4o.ion reiaiEds one Of
cat. lie E@sseRs his hody--crseps-
erawls-reacl.s the rocs and FOR
moment is, hidden Then | see him
scoring from the left lind side. Las
his victim lfosed2 Not lie still sleeps
a The warrD sunshinc, and his Lease of
Afe is reduced 10 minutes
The panther moves oat fer the cover
Of the second rock lie is boldor now.
BE seems - realize that his victim, is
hclpiess, lie crsuehes and crceps- hfs-
tSgsac.f fore paw slowly and with tho
greatest care. He does not make = halt
Of moro than sixty seconds behind the
second rock. lie leaves 1t with bound
which carries him fifteen feet, ana IN
zen seconds he Is there.
know what is going to happen and
] have a rife in my hands. but l mako
no E,ovo. forget for the time that 1
have the power to. 1he march of thou
sand r:cn down the vail y coul1 net
draw my eyes away from that sight.
Tho panther seems to sink into tho
earth behind the stone fer moment
Then see his head rising Al We it rs
he places his paws on the stone. His
ears arc laid fat. his lip drops down and
shows his teeth. and know that his
eyes are glowing like living Goals. 1t
s. forty feet to the sleeping Indian.
WEI some magnetic influence ~. IN hin,
Of his peril? VIII some unseen signal
bring his companions back ia time?
MOI Ny heart stands sill as the
head of the panther disappears. u is
scarcely L second before his body rises
like great bird leaving the earth. and
1t his second bound he aliGhts full
upon the slcepcr's breast. with savage
shriek. There is wild yeil-a struS-
gle lasting half minute. and then
see the beast lying across the body
aud tssri;i, :.t the throat. When surs
tha. his victim is lead he rises up,
seizes the body by the Shoulder, and
With a swing and dirt he throws tho
weight across his rack and ,rots Oh
over the grass TO tne th!ckct and diSap-
pears. His companions viii search for
Kin. but iaoT will f,i only his bones.