St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-17
PANTHER VS.. WILD BOAR.

Encounter Between Two Savage
BPutes in the Sierra Nevada
Mountains.
Some four years ago, in the early part
OF the summer, says writer in the New
York Herald, | found myself at Henry's
DiggingS, all abandoned mining camp
nestled among the Sierra Nevadas, in
the western part of Ell Dorado county,
California. had gone there for month
of rest and recreation, and Intcllued 10
while away the time with hunting and
fishing, and also doing some occasional
prospecting i'll the nelghb0rh0od.
During the placer excitement IN 1850
and 1851 Henry'S Diggings was one Of
the most fiOurishing camps III that sec
ton. AT the time of my visit 1t was
little better than bowling wilderness.
The busy hum Of mining industry mad
given way to the howl of the coyote,
and, save for an occasional ruin of some
old-time quartz mill or miners cabin,
one would have imagined that no white
man had ever trod before i'll that desc
late region.
had taken UP my quarters in a de-
serted cabin. l had for my companion
all old prOSpector, who did the cooking
and general housekeeping. We had
plenty of flour, coffee and general gro
cerieS. IL was my province to Keep the
larder stocked with grub in the way
of fish and game. with which the region
abounded.
Bright and early one morning. after a
breakfast of ''hapjacks" and fried
mountain trout, started out after a
flock of quail whose piping notes had
aroused my SlumberS at daybreak. The
birds had alighted in deep canyon
about quarter of mile from the cabin.
and the prospect of quail supper was
certainly inviting. l carried a breecil-
loading shotgun. Ny cartridges were
charged with small birdshot. I'll
stumble across a BEAR" L unused, III
be in pretty fix"
Bob, my setter, was well-trained
dog, and when, after half hourS
scramble through the brush, saw him
suddenly stop and point | carefully
cooked my gun and waited. There was
something III the dogs manner, how
ever, that caused me to feel a trlfle
nervous. lie had never acted that way
before i'll the presence Of small game.
He trembled in every limb, and every
now and then he emitted peculiar
whine, as if he dreaded the object hid
den from view in the thick clumb OF un-
derbrush directly ahead.
We, Bob and |, had stood in this man.
ner for several minutes. No game was
i'll sight. and | began to grow impatient.
Fetch him out, Bob" L suddenly eX-
claimed. WHATS the matter with
you?"
Bob looked at me reproachfully, l
thought, and then made dart in the
chapparal. My blood fairly froZe at
what followed. and, in my terror and
excitement. dropped my gun and stood
there rooted to the spot like some
craven image. AS Bob disappeared be-
hind an overhanging rock there broke
out upon the crisp morning air the most
awful scream that | had ever heard,
and then the forest echoes were
awakened by succession of snaris,
sruntS, Squeallngs, and another scream,
more awful, if possible, Than the first.
Out of the underbrush into the open
then came, or rather bounded. the figure
Of an enormous mountain lion, the
dreaded panther Of the Sierras. In his
mouth he held a young Dig. one of the
wild variety plentiful in that region.
After him bounded Bob, while follow
ing close upon BOD's heels came large
sized boar.
The boar was after the panther, and
the latter seemed to know it, for he
dropped his burden and started for a
tree near where | stood. But the boar
was too quick for him. As If thrown
from catapult he hurled himself
against his tawny adversary. and with
one quick. upward rip had inflicted a
CHASTITY wound in the panther's side.
The latter now turned and showed
fight. When the boar charged him again
he struck out with his mighty paw and
tore open the bOar's flank with his sharp
claws, sending that animal rolling over
with the force of the blow.
Again and again the boar charged,
only to be knocked over and terribly
gashed by the panther, who no longer
seemed to fear his enraged antagonist.
During all this time the noise Of the
combat was deafening. The boar
squealed and grunted with pain, while
the panther kept up succession OF
growlS and SnarlS, and added to this
were the excited barks of Bob. who was
by no means diSinterested spectator.
Both animals were cow becoming eX-
hausted and both were covered with
blood. Finally, i'll one charge, the boar
managed to rip open the panther'S- side
i'll such way that the entrails pro-
traded from the wound. Then the
panther. with one last dying effort,
struck the boar blow that sent him
flying backward a distance of several
feet.
The boar was still game, however.
and struggled to his feet for a final
charge. The same look of wicked fe-
rocity and determination CLEANED from
his little eyes. He managed to reach
the panther's side and then tottered and
fell. One last grunt he gave and rolled
over dead.
The panther looked at his fallen adj
versary and gave growl of triumph.
He raised his paw to strike, but his
strength was gone. The paw fell on the
boar's head, and in this position the
panther breathed his last.
BY this time l had recovered myself
sufficiently to walk, although l was
faint and sick from the excitement of
the scene l had just witnessed. Bob,
too, looked as if he had quite enough
excitement for one day. We then
started for home.
bob" said /, as we trudged along,
''the next time you and 90 quail shoot
ing We'll take gatling gun along for
any emergency"