Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-04-19

before saw wild panther lie on the
ground a few feet away from man
unless it was dead. AS he went on
with his work he puzzled over the
animals strange actions, but could
give himself no satisfactory expla-
nation. 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. 1t was strange experience,
but Nohl concluded he would have
the bear skin and not kill the pam
Their unless it was absolutely neces-
sary to save his 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 mo-
ment. But it did no such thing.
1t simply waited until the man had
gone and then went to the bear's
carcass and made square meal.
Nohl took his skin home, where
he dressed it and afterward sold it
for good price. He did not go
hunting again for several days, but
when he did he was surprised, after
walking about quarter of a mile,
to see the panther few rods from
his side. Again the impulse came
over him to send a bullet into it,
but he stuck to his resolution and
allowed it to walk in the same d.
rection 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 it became regular thing for
the panther to go with him when
ever he went hunting. 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 became tame and
Nohl has never been able to put
his hands Oh it. Every time he
would make a move to do so it
would run until it was some distance
away, when it would continue to
walk as before.
After this Nohl gave up trying
to be too friendly and the animal
soon got to walk at his side as be-
fore. The panther always went
with him. It made no difference
which way he went his friend al
ways caught up to him when he
was about quarter of a mile from
his home. He liked its companion
ship and soon got to look for it as
soon as he got out of his house, but
it was no use, he never saw it until
he had gone some distance, and then
it was at his side before he was
aware of it's presence. Where it
came from or how it 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
times in succession. He had known
it to happen on other occasions and
thought it was all right, but the
panther did not like it. The next
time they went out the panther
went ahead when they reached a
certain point and seemed as if he
wanted Nohl to follow. He did so,
and soon was almost on top of sew
eral deer. He got three good shots
and all the game he could handle.
After that day the panther led the
way to the hunting-grounds and
always found game. He was also
ready to take a hand whenever
there was any fighting to be done
or wounded animals to be caught.
He has brought back more than
one wounded deer that would have
escaped, and also done some good
work fighting pack of wolves.
The panther always went out
with .Nohl, but he had to go back
by himself. Where the animal
disappeared to was mystery for
several months.
On one occasion Nohl was con-
fined to the house for several days
on account of bad cold, and of
course did no hunting, but he often
wondered how the panther was get
ting along. When he got out there
was his old friend in the usual place,