The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-04
Harmless Beasts, Singularly Curious
in the Adirondaclks at Least.


in the Adirondacks Mt Least
"I never heard of more than one per-
son being killed by panthers in the
Adirondacks. said a New Yorker who
has frequented the north woods every
year for forty years land it wasn't a
sure thing whether that person was
killed by a panther. He was found
dead after being absent from home for
q long time, and his body was badly
torn and lacerated in a manner that
left no doubt that a panther had done
it. The question was whether it had
been done before the man was dead or
afterwards. At any rate, everybody be-
lieved he had been killed by a panther.
The mans name was German. His
body was found on the carry between
Bib Clear Pond and the st. Regis
waters, near Paul Smiths 1t was kept
very quiet. because Smith and the
guides in that region were afraid that
if it got abroad, it would frighten
visitors away from that part or the
AdirondackS.
"AIl my experience and observation
convince me that panthers are by no
means the terrible, feroc;ous, man-eat-
ing creatures common fame makes
them out to be. Adirondack panthers
y,
they were particularly shy, but pos
sessed of an irresistible curiosity that
drew them near to human beings, and,
in fact, induced them to follow persons
for long distances, or to take observa-
tions of them from positions in ad-
vance. This strange trait undoubtedly
obtained fer the panther it's reputation
as a pursuer or waylayer Of man. They
were great destroyers of sheep and
deer. which was sufficient to condemn
them as noxious beasts, but they were
as harmless toward human beings as
the deer themselves. They would I'M
doubtedly fight fiercely if wounded and
brought to bay, but so would a wound
ed buck.
II have many a time been followed
by a panther through the woods for
miles, the panther always lodging
from tree to tree and never approach
ing nearer than five rods. When I
stopped it would stop, lie close to a
branch and watch me. When I started
it would follow. 1 have had them ac-
company me thus to the very threshold
Of my camp. On the way not sound
ever ESCAPED one of these panthers,
but the moment l would disappear
within my camp the panther would
utter far sounding and by no means
pleasant yells at short intervals, and
make off into the woods, yelling as it
went, until its cries were lost in the
distance.
81 have many times had a panther
precede me in the woods, but only
when [ might be on a carry or walk
ing N a road. The animal would in
such cases always bound along the
ground, stopping occasionally, looking
back at me as 1 approached, lying
close to the ground, and it's long tail
swaying from side to side. 1 never saw
a. finer sight than one of these crouch
ing panthers. When 1 came as near
as so feet or so to the beast it would
bound on ahead again, always utter
ing a piercing yell when it started, and
screaming every few bounds as it led
the way. The instant it would stop to
look back and wait for me it would be
silent, but always started on again
with a, yell. 1 shot a panther once as
it was thus lying in my path satisfying
it's curiosity, and 1 never was proud of
the feat. The unsuspecting creatures
dying cries were so appalNngly like
human means and offerings of agony
that they haunted me an unpleasantly
long time.
Il remember one winter that ten
large panthers were trapped not a
great distance from the village of
North Elba, and 1 think that must
have exterminated the race thereabout.
for. although it was more than 30
years ago, never have heard of a
rrtn her e ng seen in that region after
ward. I doubt if there is a real pan
Their left in the Adirondacks. There is
certainly none within reach of hearing
of any place or center where habitues
of that country are wont to congre-
gate. New York Sun.