The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-09
A WILD WESTERN YARN.
STRANGE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN
a HUNTER AND a PANTHER.

The Beast Had Saved the Man From q
Grizzly-After That When the Man
Sailed Forth After Game the Panther
Joined Him and Took Part in the
Sport.
From the San Francisco Call
Frank Nohl, miner and rancher who lives IN
the Santa Rita mountains in Arizona, has the
strangest hunting companion on record. 1t Is
nothing moro or less than a real live panther
that could kill him in a moment and on the
other hand that NoAl has had dozens Of chances
Of exterminsting
The beast is his, as far as hunting turns are
concerned, but In nc other way. The two have
been on hundred trips together, aud the man
has never had bis hand on the animal but once,
but that once was the time the mysterious tie
between the two was created Man and beast
seem to understand each other, although Nohl
could not tell you how II it was to save his life.
The day of their first meeting was about two
years ago. Hohl was out hunting and had run
down grizzly, at which he got a good shot
that rolled the animal over. The man thought
the bear was killed, aud ran up to it for the puT-
pose of skinninK it, Bruin lay very still but he
was far from being dead, or even sleeping.
Nohl laid his rife on the ground and drew his
knife preparatory to making the first incsion.
IL was magnificent animal, and the hunter
could not help admiring it. He walked around
1t several times with his knife in his hand, cou-
graduating himself on the good days work he
had done, and finally dropped on his knees by
It's Slce Tor the purpose of going TO work.
He felt among the soft fur for a good place
and then stuck his knife into 1t. The cold steel
no sooner touched the beasts skin than il gave
a deep growl and jumped W., knocking the
knife out OF Nohls hand and surprising him SO
much as to almost deprive MIN of consciousness.
| The bear no sooner gained his feet
than he jumped on his would
DO dissecter The man was help
less, and it would have been the work of only
few moments for the maddened animal to
make an end of him. Nonl reached out for his
knife as soon as he OWNED the animals inuen-
ton, but IL was too far away. There was no
use in making fight, SO Nohl lay face down on
the ground to keep the bear away from his
throat as long as possible, Bruin took hold OF
his enemy and made great effort to get his
paws around him, 80 that he could crush him
| 10 death.
He nearly succeeded, and at the same time
was attempting to swallow Nuhl's head. 1t
seemed as il it could last only q moment more,
| but just then another actor appeared on the
| scene.
It was O panther, and he went for the bear
tooth and nail, aud in an instant took It's atten-
| ton from the man. When it sprang il got on
the bears back, and there It stuck, biting and
| scratching flercely. Nohl had not been hurt
| TO amount to anything, so he got on his feet
| and took a hand in the fight.
BY the time he ready for buslnss things
| were looking bad for the panther, which had
| been shaken from the bears back, and was
| making hot fight face to face. In time the
| bear would have had the best of it, but Nohl
| put stop to the contest by sending ball into
its heart at short range. 1t rolled over at once,
| dead this time beyond any hope of recovery.
As tho bear relied over the panther let 20 and
walked to one side, LOOKING at the bear curious
~. Nohls first impulse was to turn his rifle on
| 1t and thereby increase his days work; but an
| instant's reflection caused him to change his
mind. lie knew that the panther had risked its
/ life to save his, and he concluded to let it 20
| unless it attacked him. But this the panther
had no intention OF doing, nor has 1t ever shown
| any inclination to do so since.
| AS soon as Nohl made up bis mind that he
was safe from the panther he went to work to
! skin the bear. ibis time there was no trouble,
and the sharp knife soon had the skin nicely
! spread out. While the work was going on, the
panther lay on the ground. a few fest away
| watching the operation He seemed pleased
| with all that had been done, and, whenever
| Nohl looked his way, would raise his head and
| curl his tail pleasantly.
Nohl is an old hunter and has seen dozens Of
| strange actions on the part of animals but he
| never before saw Wild panther lie on the
| ground a few feet away from o man unless it
| was dead. AS he went on with his work be
| puzzled over the animals strange actions, but
| could give himself no satisfactory explanation,
The panther seemed like dog, and the man
| rubbed his eyes several times TO make sure he
| saw things right; and the next moment he
| would make up his mind that he was dreaming
| and likely to wake up. II was a strange eK-
| peFience, but NOhl concluded he would have
the bear SKIN and not kill the panther unless it
was absolutely necessary to save his own life.
| When he had removed the skin from the
bear he bundled it up and started home, half
| expecting the panther to jump on him every
| moment. But IL did no such thing. IL simply
| waited until the man had gone. AMI then went
| to the BEARS carcass a1d made q square meal.
| Nohl took his skin home, where he dressed it.
| aud afterward sold 1t for a good price He did
| not go hunting again fer several days, but when
| he did he was surprised. after walking about
! quarter of mile, to see the panther few rods
/ from inpuigA
him to send bullet into 1t, but he stuck to his
resolution, and allowed it TO walk in the same
| direction he was going.
| On this trip he got only small deer, which
| he skinned and took such portions as he needed,
leaving the rest for the panther.
! After that 1t became q regular thing for the
panther to go with him whenever he went hunt
| ing. At first it would walk several yards away
! from him. but gradually began to come nearer
until it was walking at his side. 1t never be-
! came tame and Nohl has never been able TO nut
his hand on il. Every time he would make a
move to do so it would until it was some
| distance away, when it would continue to walk
| as before
After this Noal rave up trying to be too
| friendly. and the animal soon got 10 walk at his
size as before. Ire panther always went with
| him. It made no difference which way he went
| his friend always caught up with him when he
was about q quarter OF q mile from his house
| He liked its compauionship and soon got to
| look for it as soon as no got out OF his house,
but it was no use he never saw it until he had
! gone the usual distance and then it was at his
! side before he was aware Of its presence Where
| it came from or now 1t got there is something
! he has never been able TO find out.
The time came when he went out hunting
! without finding any game, and the same thing
| occurred three other times in succession He
| had known it to happen on other occasions and
thought 1t was all right, but the panther did
! not like it. The next time they went out the
! panther went ahead when they reached a GER
| tain point, and seemed as il he wanted Nohl to
| follow. He did SO, and soon was almost on top
of several deer.
BEAUTIFUL CAVES NEAR MANITOU