Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-05-19
COULD OUTRUN A DEER.
so HE ROASTED, AND MADE
HIS BOAST GOOD.
Hermit smith aud His Many Adventures
Il Panther That switched Its Tall
Into the Burning Embers Covered
Him over with Leaves.

Penn, was Hermit" George Smith,
a hunter, who for twenty-five years
was the only resident of section
OF woodland in Forest county twensy
miles square, with Wilcox, Elk coun-
ty, the nearest settlement II was
this fact that gained him the nick
name OF Hermit" for Smith was
the most mpanionable and most
hospitable of men. No hunter ever
approached his cabin in need of food,
shelter or refreshments that was not
given the same freely and with a
manner that made the recipient feel
as though he had done the old hun
ter favor in accepting his hospl-
tally. When comparatively young
man he came from Clarion county TO
Forest county on hunting eXpe'
dition. and liked the country so we'll
that no built log shanty near a
large spring aud trout stream. and
decided to make the place his home.
The spring is now known as Her
mit's Spring. and is near flourish
ing summer resort.
Il was not unrequited love nor dis
gust with mankind that drove young
Smith into the wilds Of the big tim
ber.h as that section was then known,
but the rather unromantic idea Of
earning a living by hunting, fishing
and trapping In these lines OF in
dustry he had few equals, and some
of his adventures are decidedly in
teresting. On one occasion he mad
built a small fire ana lay down TO
sleep at the foot OF large tree.
During the night he was awakened
by something moving through the
underbrush, and opened his eyes in
time 10 see a panther creeping
toward him He was too startled TO
move and thought that his time was
up just then the big cat tramped
ON hot coal that had fallen from
She small camp fire la turning 10
bite at the burn the panther switched
her tail into the burning embers OF
the fire and never stopped TO iuyesti
gate, but, with squall. started
of through the woods on a gallop.
Smith lost no time in securing his
rifle and getting TO the top Of a tree.
where he shivered with cold and ex.
citement until daylight, waiting for
the animal to return. Another adj
venture with an animal Of the same
species had u more fortunate ending.
Near the hunters cabin was a natural
salt spring which mt the present time
is the site OF health resort. for
some OF the scientists have lately
discovered that it has medicinal
properties, The deer and other ami.
mails knew II long before the scion
lists. and 1t was popular resort for
them. The hunter called 1t a salt
lick. One night he went 10 the lick.
climbed to the top OF the bank over.
looking the spring and lay down to
await the coming Of deer.
The mouotony Of his vigiIs caused
him TO fall asleep. and later he was
awakened by the muzzle Of SOME AMI
NAL touching his face. Without
daring TO move a muscle or TO open his
eyes he lay on his back. his heart
beating with such force that he
feared every minute that IL would
alarm the animal and that IL would
attack him. The big cat, purring
all the time, began to cover him with
leaves, scooping them up with its
paws and placing them on the
hunters body almost as a man would
do. After it had finished the task
the panther trotted of into the
woods. The hunter took TO a tree
and waited until dawn, and was
about starting for home when he saw
the animal and a half-grown panther
cub coming THROUGH the timber
The mother panther went direct to-
the pile OF leaves-tho hunter had
carefully replaced them-and began
to tear them to pieces. While she
was hunting the hunter he shot and
killed her and the cub
About ten years after Mr.. Smith
had first arrived in the woods he
was chasing deer. stumbled aud
tell over tree broken by the wind.
and one OF the slivers from the splin-
tered trunk penetrated the left eye
ball. All of his efforts to withdraw
it with his hunting knife were in
vain. After some time spent In fruit
less efforts no started through the
woods twenty miles TO Wilcox, where
a physician removed the eyeball and
the splinter at the same time.
Three years after he had located his
camp he caught sight OF aman in the
woods and tried To hail him. But
the latter was morose and refused TO
have any talk with the hunter The
latter watched for the man daily, for
he was decidedly lonesome, and was
still young man. He finally located
the Strangers camp, and after a
month or two's silence he decided to
call and try and make friends. He
stopped with the carcass OF fine
young deer, determined to offer IL TO
the stranger, when he heard him
grOan.
He entered the cabin and found
the man lying across the bunk, which
was covered with blood. He had
shot himself in the left breast with a
rifle the day before, and to Mr..
Smith he confessed that he had tried