New-York tribune., 1891-12-27
MEETING A PANTHER AT NIGHl.
4 TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER IN LONELY NOUN
TAIN PATH.

A TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER In LONELY NOUN
TAIN PATH.
az never see a panther said man at theyrentrsl
Park mcnagcrie "but have creeping sensation OF es
brought about BY fright which one OF these bnses
pav. me in tile wllds of the Adrondacks one night some
years ago.
"Tlere were five OF In all, camping In the woods
near the Indian Pass. It about as wlld sccuon
OF country could be found in any part OF the noun
tains and the beautiful scenery ever expected &c
see We all took our turn at doing the camp drudcery.
which consisted OF cooking. washing pots ana Eettes
and keeping the fire going. II mean work. but 10
had {, be done had been doing camp duty all thai
day. while the rest of the boys were of hunting OF
fishing
.When evening came took the little lin pail ana
started down the mountain to a little farmionse abouts
mile away. II grows dark sooner in the mountains
than on tho level and by the time had reached tho
farmhouse the twilight had changed to night. ana
bright full moon was Just rising over the top oil
negllboring peak. The road or path to the camp had
been cut through the forest some years before BY
party OF prospectors who imagined they had struck
rich vein of iron ore. but for some reason they nsa
abandoned the place and only huge hole in the noun
tain side and a tumblcdown log shanty were lei' "
give evidence that the place had been visited by
white man.
"The path up the mountain was lighted herc anu
there with bright patches of moonlight and the SHADOWS
between them were black and threatening. everything
around me was as still as death could hear ms own
breathing and the tread Of my footsteps was the onT
sound which broke the silence which broodcd' thes
and heavy, over everything around and about me-
Every time entered one OF the black shadows eeh's
of nervous apprehension would come over me- "lnon
grew worse as advanced By the time hao co' Ia"
way up the mountain my surroundings had worha "p'"
my imagination until every tree and rock seemed a''
fn. Linu which
come. And it did come. An awful VEIL hall human
and half unearthly. like the ery OF terrified em"
pcrccd the still night air and sent the cold cis ~
lespfrog gambols up and down ms spinal column "
was the most unearthly sound ever heard anu "''
haunted me more less ever since
at seemed to come from a clump OK pine "e
just in front Of me aud scared me so badly tna'
stood frozen to the spot couldn't move a nhus'.
for a minute though IL seemed eternity. MY he'''
bounded my ribs until could plainly hear the bears.
grew faint and cold. | knew instinctively wha' u
was | stood there on q lonely mountain alone s''
at night with mountain panther on my tran re'"'
to spring upon me at any moment. hsoh' -
a lack knife TO defend myself with. tio"s'".
thonghts rushed into my head and out again. up.'
10 think Of the many ways and means by winch Wv
bruscr heroes the dime novels bad snrrepuuou'n
read managed TO get ont OF Similar dIlieuiues' v"'
none OF them seemed applicable TO Just the pec""'
situation / was In at that moment Iherc W."
always some element IN their favor which was "'n.
wanting In mine. IL 1t had been daylight "o"
have felt easier. I could have seen the oru'e "
least and might have had a chance 10 dodge D"'
no; II was dark Egypt. don't Know WI"
did IT, but stopped down and felt AROUND on Wv
ground until my hand struck loose stone, ana INV
It into the black shadow In front of me- That move
nent gave me the self possession ! needed Tor ;
felt a relief from the frightully nervous tension
which I had been subjected q moment before
al heard q crashing scrambling sound accompanleN
with suppressed snarlng growl and a long yeno"
streak flashed across tho light spot Just beyona wv
dark shadow. Our old cat at home had taught "s
lesson In cat ethics which am satisfied sef'eu ~.
o good turn at that time The brute was .n,,Ws uss
from N. rear "" cat never likes to face man ma.
when he springs and felt that II could kecp nY S
In front OF me he would delay his attack nnni nun w.
shouts could bc heard by the boys at ,he camp ,a
little further up the mountain, ana give 'ichi """
I'll moved on. gathering stones and sticks OF even
omen spot on the path where could see. and kept ny
continuous racket and shouting say the na.,es a.rons
several times leap across the pSt ' nnd s~s ",S " wnerc
the camp was pitched and found the boys preparhs'
in hall scared way 70 come to my % rescue -, va,
safe lost no time In fsnting away In the n,osI h, S
proved style Well we didn't sleep any tina, ms"-
but at the first streak OF dayneni we ss@er,1 @ ,'rwkoI
and told our story. They had heard the yell 0, s
night before. and were already making preparations
We refused pressing invitation to Join the nanS
ing party. We had had enough OF cats ana ~ ths
afternoon we heard the report OF ride several @ mes
and last at dusk we the returning Win somo
thing stretched on pole sluns upon the sho"'"''' "
II was the cat which had pursued me the nlss
5 srOw% sna %ss me- s'S Win aS Sss black
s had s S p IN II II. 0nGG m was still
.AS ,l~ las raffI I.t<H