Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-03-31
PANTHER VERSUS WILD BOAR.


i'll the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Some four years ago in the early part
Of the summer, says Il writer i'll the
New York Herald, l found myself at
Henry'S DiggingS, an abandoned min
INC camp nestled among the Sierra Ne
yild3S, in the western part of FL Dorado
county, California. had gone there
for Il month of rest and recreation and
intended to While away the time with
hunting and fishing and also doing some
occasional prospecting in the ncighbor-
hood.
During the placer excitement III 1880
and 1881 Henly's DiggingS was one OF
the most furnishing camps in that sec
ton. 4 the time of my visit i, was
litt:c better than Il bowling wilderness.
The busy hum Of mining industry had
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 DO white
man had ever trod before that desc
late region.
| had taken up my quarters in II de-
serted cabin. | had for my companion
;ln old prospector, who did the cooking
and general housekeeping" We had
plenty of flour. coffee, }and general gro
ccries. 1t was my pfpyince to keep
the harder stocked with grub" i'll the
way Of fish and game, with which the
region bounded.
Bright and early one morning. after
Il breakfast of ''tlapiacks' and fried
flock OF quail whose piping notes had
aroused my slumbeTS at daybreak. The
birds had aiiglltct in Il deep canyon
about Il quarter of Il mile from the
cabin, and the prospect of Il quail sup
per was certainly inviting. | carried
Il breech-Ioading shotgun. My cartridg-
/ es we charged with small birdshot. III
| stumble across a bear" / unused, III
! be i'll 4 pretty fix
! Bob looked act me reproachfuIly, |
dog and when, after a half hours scram
bic through the brush, l saw him sud
denly stop and point / carefully cooked
my gun and waited. There was some
me to feel a trifie nervous He had
never acted that way before in the prt
sence Of small game. He trembled in
/ every limb, and every now and then
he emitted a peculiar whine, as if he
dreaded the object hidden from view
in the thick clump of umderbrush di-
rectIy ahead.
JnIa I I,nI tT5 iy14 I,Jc
ner for several minutes. No game was
in sight, and began to grow impatient
''etch him out, Bob" | suddenly ex-
claimed. What's the matter with you
/ Bob looked at me reproahfully,
/ thought and then made a dart in the
chapparal. My blood fairly froze at
. what followed, and, in my terror and
! excitement, | dropped my gun and stood
rooted to the spot like some craven
! image. AS Bob disappeared behind an
! overhangng rock their broke out upon
/ the crisp morning air the most awful
scream that l had ever heard, and then
the forest echoes were awakened by a
and another scream, more awful, If
possible, than the first.
Out of the underbrllsh 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 young pig, one OF
tho wild variety plentiful in that re
gion. After him bounded Bob, while
following close upon Bob's heels came
: a large-siZed boar.
: The boar was after that panther ano
| the latter seemed to know it, for ht
: dropped his burden and started for /;
tree near where / stood. But the boa
: was too quick for him. AS if thrown
from catapult he hurled himself
against his tawny Adversely, and witt
] one quick, upward rip had inflicted
CHASTITY wound in the panther's side.