The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-12-09
AGUIDE'S ADVENTURE


one ever thinks of camping out in the north
woods" without the indispensable guide 1t
is he who knows the "runways" along
which the hunted stag will make his dash
for life, You must go with him to find the
brooks where the largest trout will leap for
the fly,
The writer was once entertained By an old
retired guide. AS Ne sat by the glowing
fire the old man thawed out under the genial
warmth and readily complied with the re-
quest to tell us of some striking adventure
of his past life.
As we unconscously form our own style
from the language we habitually hear and
read, especially in early life, will try to
give you his story in purer English than the
dialect he used, while aiming to preserve
something of his mode of expression:
Zone day in the winter of 1867 took my
rifle and started out on a still hunt for deer.
There had been light fall of snow during
the night before-just the thing for my pur-
pose.
"But luck was against me. tramped and
tramped all morning, going further and fur
Their from home, but never once got glimpse
of buck or doe.
Late in the afternoon | began to take
the homeward trail had gone some dis.
tance whenI noticed something that stopped
me short in my tracks. Rifht&hcre, hefore
me, in the snow, was mans trail and fol.
lowing close on it were the tracks of big
panther.
81 was just about TO fire off my rifle to find
out the whereabouts OF the hunted hunter,
so as to warn him, when | saw something
else that fairly made me jump.
Il stepped up to the man s track and set
my foot in it, and it fitted to - There
was new patch on the sole Of my right
boot, and it was seeing the print of that
in the snow that made me try the fit of my
shoe on the trail.
1T was all plain enough. | had doubled
on my own track and was being followed
too close for comfort in that thick woods,
by an ugly-sized panther He must even
now be near at hand, maybe overhead some.
where, ready to spring for me when he
thought he had a sure thing of it,
IF had not read his secret in the tell.
tale snow | might not have discovered that
ne, too, was out on a still hunt until had
felt him land on my shoulders.
i took sharp look about me, but neither
saw nor heard anything of him. knew,
though, that he would soon be on hand: so
| started at brisk pace for little clearing
IN the woods some distance ahead of me.
My plan was to try to reach tlns clear.
ing in advance of his partnership, cross it
and lie in wait for him on the other side.
| expected him to follow my trail at least
into the open, when ] might have a crack at
him.
We'll, | made the clearing without hav.
ing seen or heard anything of my pursuer,
and, dropping behind fallen tree at the
edge OF the clearing, | pointed my rifle to-
ward the spot where | entered the open
and was ready to give the big cat warm re-
ception.
Il soon saw the limb of large tree oppo-
site me bend low, then fly suddenly back to
its place, and almost at the same instant the
panther touched the ground He quickly
followed my trail to the very edge of the
tree line and then stopped, raised his head
and began to sniff the air lie had scented
me, and now was my time or never.
Il hesitated to pull trigger, as it was toe
long range across the clearing for a sure
shot, and nothing but sure shot would dc
for such huge panther as that
"He was a big and fiercelooking enough
customer for man to meet in the woods
under any circumstances; but it would be
almost certain death to have TO face him
made furious by wound.
my moment of hesitation aided my op
portunity for a shot, for the panther, taking
in the situation, sprang Immediately to the
trees again.
81 saw his game and started to travel as
soon as he did. He intended to follow the
woods around and come at me where
would be at disadvantage under the trees
lie knew too much to attempt to cross
the open after he had scented me on the
other side. might have gone into the cen
ter of the clearing and remained there unit
he came out, if he were anxious to attack
But darkness was fast coming on, and il
wouldn't do to be cooped up by panther
in that place after dark, so travelled
81 had the start of the panther for the
next clearing, as he had to 60 some distance
around to reach the point | had just oc
cupied. | was very anxious to keep ahcaC
of him until ! was clear Of the woods, as
knew that | could not have a good shot a
him unless did so.
There were two more clearincs between
me and the open country. at the seconC
clearing had no time to spare.
II had scarcely reached the edge of the
timber before the panther was at the othel
side. hoped might have a shot here, anC
was in readiness for the chance.
'The cat sprang to the ground as before
but, scouting me again, he betook hinsel
the second time to the trees.
"And now came a tight race. was for
tunGte enough to cross the last clearing il
advance Of my pursuer, but heard his heav!
springs among the treetops in the intens,
silence Of the woods. This time the panthe
did not come to the ground, but kept RICH
on after me; and, though had the start o
the short cut across the clearing, while b,
had to 20 around it to reach me, ] felt i
was an open question as to who would b
the winner of the race.
1T was now dusk, and felt sure that i
} that panther were to catch up with me h
would tackle me at once. If luck wa
against me in my deer hunting, it seem
that luck was against the panther in hi
man hunting, as / reached the open, all on
Of breath, as he came up with me. But h,
reached the edge of the woods almost as soor
as had cleared it.
He was evidently very hungry, and yer,
mad, too by this time, as he gave fierc
| veil and I could haor hin, dasdendino from