Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-08-31
WAS A CLOSE CALL.


upon 1t under cover or springing suddenly
I from some oyerhanging bough.
/ But the following adventure related to
/ me by an old hunter in the mountains OF
/ Carolina seems to prove the contrary. do
not doubt the old mans word, and will give
( bis story Just as be told il, excepting his
| ''lingo,' which would scarcely be ineligible
to my readers.
During the war and just after, !" said the
old man, as he lay, one night, stretched be
| fore the campfire, "the number OF yarminte
| in these mountains increased amazingly
Nearly all the hunters had gone into the
ranks of either one or the other army, and
the women and children had left the bills to
escape starvation.
For five or six years the wild game raised
! their young unmolested, and you have no
idea how fast they increased. the wolves Is
| pecially. These mountains swarmed with
them And so bold they grew that not IN
frequently they would come out OF the hills
| and raid the settlements IN great packs.
'The bears, too, became numerousi but
| the most dangerous animals were the pan
theirs. Where 80 many came from II Is bard
TO tell but when / returned from the war in
'65 and built this cabin they would scream
around Us the whole night through.
There was hardly a night in those first
years but we we're awakened by the dogs
fighting something about the yard. had
more than one sharp tight with savage ami
mails at that time; but the Larrowest es-
cape ever had was from panther.
How was thatg' you ask. Well, now, ill
my pipe with some OF your manufac', Wilde
I'm fixing the fire, and then III tel you.
Il was out on the mountain looking for
some cattle which had strayed of, con
tinued be, whiting the fragrant smoke, and
hot expecting TO 90 far when leaving home,
had neglected to take my rifle or even call
the dogs But the cattle had wandered fur
ther than / thought, and, after riding
through the woods all the evening to no pur-
pose, | found myself at sunset about tive
miles from home Ordinarily, that would
have made no difference but did not want
dark to catch me in the mountains without
dog or gun.
My nags head had just turned home
ward when | spied deer's carcass lying at
the foot Of a big chestnut tree. 1t had been
killed only few minutes, for the meat was
still warm The neck had been bitten
through the big veins, and one OF the fore
quarters was torn off and gone. Some var
MINIS had been hunting and dined there.
Il moved off to a distance and examined
the tree, thinking, perhaps, the animal,
whatever it was, might be crouching IN the
boughs above. Nothing, however, was Wis
ible
But that buck was too fine for the wolves.
So, dismounting, quickly cut away the use
less portions and bound the fat quarters be-
hind my saddle. All the while was trying
TO discover what animal had killed It; but
there were no tracks visible. Had It been
wolves. / knew little Of the carcass would
have been left, for they generally hunt IN
packs A wildcat could not have destroyed
so much Either bear or panther must
have done II.
'It had taken some time 10 bind the meat
upon my hirse, and the moon was rising
when | at last reached the open trailway
leading to my cabin.
II logged along at a good rate, for the
occasional howl OF a wolf told me that the
odor of fresh venison reached long way
into the damp, still night.
Besides that, l was almost sure, after
thinking Of it, that the deer had been killed
bv panther, for bear would not have left
his meat unconcealed.
"The trail was fairly smooth around the
mountain, and, not wishing to dispute pos
session with a panther, quickened my
horses pace to a trot.
Hardly had | done so when behind me
some distance | heard the well-known
scream Of a panther break out upon the 81
lence Of the night. IL made me feel nervous.
Still, any panther on the mountain might
scream at night, and there was no reason TO
believe that this one was after me. How
ever, quickened my pace, but was deter
mined still not to abandon my venison I'M
less absolutely necessary.
I'VE had gone possibly half mile further,
when the beast screamed again, and this
time sharp and near. There was no mistake
now Ii was after us. ! grasped my knife
TO cut away the venison, but at its last cry
my horse had bounded away like wild mus
tang, and | could neither rein him up nor
reach the thongs that tied the game while
he was in motion.
"The horse seemed wild with fear. In my
efforts to control him the bride broke,
and then il was all | could do 10 cling to the
saddle as he dashed madly along the trail.
Again and again the panther screamed, and
each time nv horse jumped forward afresh.
The beast had reused the wolves too. They
were bowling all about me, and a pack
seemed following the panther.
And how that varmint could rum Ii
was not three minutes before heard the
thump, thump, thump, as she bounded along
the trail behind me; and, glancing back,
could see her in the moonlight, making those
long, catlike bounds, and 40 rapidly, too,
that she seemed scarcely to touch the
ground.
Each leap was lessenng the distance be-
tween US | could hear her painting as she
ran minute more she would be upon me,
and was yet mile from home How
did long for my rife One shot would have
been enough. | hallooed as loud as possible.
II the dogs but heard ne, | knew they would
come But there was 70 more time for call
ing, for just then the great cat sprang upon
my horses TANKS, and turned TO defend
myself as best could with my knife.
The poor horse screamed almost like a
human being when il felt the panther's
claws, and bounded forward again. The
animal lost its hoii, and for moment rolled
in the sand; but the next instant 1t was up
and after Us once mere.
I'VE had gained a few rods, bu; the horse
was giving out, and it vas hardly a second
l.