The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-08-08
A REMINiSC
How an Old Hunter Saved His
Life one Cold Night Sixty
Years Ago.
Saving vension by Killing a Pair
Of Voracious Panthers.
EARLY DAYS IN PETrIs COUNTY.


ALWAYS enjoy listening to the stories
of old people. In all localities of our
country you will find the hardy pio-
neer who, in the early days of our
history, passed through trying, and
often dangerous scenes in efforts to
found their homes. No other state
can furnish more thrilling adventures
than Missouri, and no particular spot
could excel Pettis county, in the
abundance of game and wild animals.
1t is a remarkable fact that the belt
of country lying between what is
known as Flat creek and Muddy, and
extending up and through johnson
county, was. at one time, alive with
game. These ridges and swales, now
covered by fine farms and beautiful
residences, were something over half
century gone, the natural feeding
grounds of vas. herds of deer and elk.
The first settlers, the proverbial wan
derers of our race, depended upon
the chase for subsistence. This region
furnished excellent sport, in fact it
was perfect paradise for the hun.
ter" Twenty-Five years ago killed
my last wild turkey in Pettis county,
on the bluff below where the water
works now stands. About the same
time-the summer, l believe follow
ing-an old citizen killed the last wild
deer that has appeared in this neigh
borhoOd. / gave one dollar for the
head Of horns, and presented them to
our Natural History society. These
magnificent antlers can be seen in the
rooms of the society in the basement
of the court house.
ABOUT SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO
l met one of these old settlers and he
told me about hunting trip he took,
one winter, soon after Missouri was
admitted as state into the Union.
He had been following herd of elks
all day and just before sunset be over.
took them near what is known a.
Camp Branch ford. 1t was exceeding.
" cold and threatening astOrm. He
had no blankets and the days tramp
had tired him out and he concluded
to spend the night on the bluff near
the ford and at the spot where he had
killed large bull elk After re-
moving all the entrails from the elk
which is the first and proper thing to
do, and cutting the throat and draw
ing of all the blood. he concluded, az
the carcass OF the brute was steamine
hot to crawl inside and get warmed
up before striking a fire and prepar-
ing for the night. Being overcome
by the fatigue Of the day, and the
warm body encasing him so comforta.
BILE, caused deep sleep to take hold
of him, which kept him Unconscious Of
his surroundings until reused from
his slumbers by the
UNEARrHLY DIN OF THE WOLVES
; and panthers that were evidently pre-
pairing to appease their hunger by at
lacking the dead body of the elk.
The old hunter said that he didn't
apprehend any danger until he at
4 tempted to free himself from his lodg
ing place, when, to his surprise and
horror, he found the walls surround
ing him as firm as admant, and with
ali his strength he could make no i'm
preston on the frozen tissues that
clasped and held HIM like vice. Hi:
gun, shot pouch, knife and Ratchet
were off some distance at the root o.
an old tree. What to do in order tC
) release himself was a mystery. HI
had crawled in "feet foremost and
all parts of his body was hidden from
view except his head. Those familiar
with the habits of carnivorOus animals
will readily see the danger that con
fronted the old hunter.
+ THESE voRACIoUs BRUTEs
begun to scud their prey at about thu
place occupied by the head of Ou
hero, so firmly encased by the os iM,
on,iinata, which had been disarticulatet
at the symphysis pubs giving ample
space. allowing his neck to occupy thu
transverse and superior straits, whil'
! his head rested on the velvety cushion
of the gleuteous medi,s and marimns
While the flesh of the brute wa
warm and elastic the position was on
of comfort, but the cold, biting wind
of December night had solidi6ed hi
, surroundings and pinioned him in thu
grasp Of death. Imagine the hOrro
: upon discovering the true state of tn
case. Inevitable death! and Of tn
most horrid kind. No friend to res
cue nearer. than the settlement a
$ Helena, the old county seat, nea