Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-11-27
Highest Of al in Leaveaing Latest U. S Govt Report
Re-! R Bsxd:s,!
ABSOLUTELY Pure
SAVED ~ A SPLINTER.
Ooly . Rec ssesoas sG waiting. bat Evssy
Oas Wa Tosoarr.

Oss We Tssearr.
Il being too hot to move about in the AFT
sfnoon, had the natives sling my ham
mock between two small trees about 50
pacrs from the tent. In this po> ition I'got
the full shade Of . large TREE to the south
and was far enough away from the chatter
ing natives to rest undisturbed by their
their voices. fell asleep at abou. : o'clock,
and my awakening two hours later was .
very quick one. was lying on my right
side. facing the big tree and looking into
the forest beyond. The first big limb on
the trre was about II feet from the ground
and branched to the east. The trunk Of the
tire, "a we afterwari ascertained, was ex-
actly ~ feet from my hammock. while the
limb was a foot further. did not awake
with a start nor did ! rub my eyes and
yawn. ! simply opened my eyes as il had
shut them only minute before. and found
! myself looking at the limb have spoken
of. My vision was focused on a spot about
six feet from the trunk. and though was
gazing in dreamy way felt a sudden
thrill. In the ~cmidarkne>- caught sight
Of two fiery eyes and made out the form Of
n wild beast crouched along the limb
The wonder Is that ] did not start M
with shout to the natives. but so far as
can remember l could not move hand or
foot. II was n sor: Of nightmare which
held my limbs. and Vet l was wide awake
and had all my SENSES but that Of feeling
The natives had gone down to the river to
fish. leaving the camp quite alone, and
aside from the hum Of insects and the &C.
casional note Of a bird the neighbOrhood
was as quiet a. il nothing lived While
did not move a finger the beast saw my
eyes open and raised his head. ] realized in
a Hash that IL was a panther, and that !
was the game he was after. Providing
through the jungle, he had got my scent
and followed il mp. As the hammock was
not over two feet from the ground he could
have crrpt up and picked me out Of it, but
he was probably a bit puzzled over the
article He had climbed the tree to get a
view from above. and 20 seconds after got
my eyes on him ! knew that he meant to
attack me. Had I suddenly sat up and
hung my arms about and shouted he would
probably have made OF. but ! could not
have moved a finger IL u dozen lives de-
pended on it.
Its male panther and . large one,"I
unused as got the outlines of his form. "A
panther Is capable Of making q proligious
leap, but doubt IL he can covei that dis
tance. A. the limb is parallel with the
hammock he labors under disadvantage
in making his spring. He will try it,
though. His ears are lying fiat, his tail
moving. and his lip has fallen down till his
yellow fans- are plain to view. II he had
a run Of 10 feet along that limb, he could
clear the hammock. but a. it il he must
leap sideways. Hear his claws tearing the
bark! See how the red in his eyes changes
to green and glint- like a diamond in the
glare Of thesun, II could set the ham,
mock swinging. ii might brighten him. but
cannot move a muscle. All! He's NOV
ing farther out to get an advantage, but he
does not find il. Every inch has got to he
figured on in the spring he will make He
backs up to his original position and snarls
and spits like an angry cat. He's working
up his nerve 10 make the spring.
Hark' There's a movement in the thick
ct! IL can't be one Of the natives. and no
party Of hunters would approach from that
direction. The panther fattens himself
down on the limb and looks down and
growis. A minute later he snarls and
spi's, and I hear the 'Woof.'' Of a hyena
rs he trots away. For half "a minute the
beast on the limb seems to be sizing me up.
He has never seen man lying in ham
mock before. but he's sure it's man. liv-
ing or dead. He'll come in the next few
seconds.
hear the sound of his claws as the.
take firm hold, and there is a movement
to his shoulders which cannot he mistaken.
He gives his tail three or four angry fiirts.
shakes his head "a il annoyed by flies and
then see great ball in the air between
me and the limb. It is coming straight mt
me. and with n yell come to sitting pos
ture just ia time to see the panther strike
the earth. He comes down just six feet
short, sinks deep into the alluvial, and