Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-05-24
A FEROCIOUS PANTHER.
It First Battles with Bca< and
Then Tackles Man.

Then Tackles Man.
''Tbe sportsman who has a hankering
for exciting hunting" {" said an Arizona
man, after listening To the story Of a
friend who bad had several thrilling
encounters with tigers in India. may
have plenty of it anywhere among the
mountains of eastern Arizona. Panthers
like those one reads about in tales Of
frontier life are still to be met there in
all their pristine ugliness and strength.
L recall a very narrow escape which
and another cowboy named Burke had
two years ago in one of the forests of
that state. We were returning 70 camp
after an absence Of several days with a
large herd Of cattle, and late in the aft
ernoOn we missed two steers. which
had evidently entered and strayed away
IN the forest, along the edge Of which
our journey homeward lay. Not wish
ing TO lose the animals in the forest,
where thousands Of panthers were
known 70 abound, we allowed the bunch
Of cattle 70 go on ahead, and, urging
our horses on, went in search Of the
beasts
Well, we bad not gone very far into
the thick Of the forest. which was in
places covered with a heavy under
growth Of bushes, when we thought wa
heard a noise resembling that made bv
the hoOfs of a steer IN walking through
the brush. As we got little nearer to
the bushes where we bad heard the
noise Burke. who was little ahead Of
me, suddenly reined up his horse He
must have seen something that startled
him. for be waved me back and then
cooked his gun. a moment later a big
panther came into view. carrying a
squealing cub bear In its mouth. II car
rleu the cub a. a cat would mouse
and rs it did not appear TO notice our
presence Burke took his gun from his
shoulder, and we both sat there, look
ing and wondering what the wild beast
would do with its prey
"Our interest was still more excited
when a few moments later the wailing
mother bear made her appearance. She
was evidently afraid 70 tackle the
panther, and that beast appeared 10
know 1t. But presently the panther put
the cub on the ground a. if 70 get
a better hold of its neck. when the
bear plunged al the panther and caught
hind legs. Like a flash the panther
flung the cub into the air. yanked itself
loose, and. turning quickly. jumped at
the bear. The bear knocked the panther
20 one side and a second stroke OF its
paw sent the big cat flying into the
bushes. But at this stage Of the fight
the cub squealed once more. and the
mother bear, seeming 20 forget every
thing but her young one, rushed 10 its
rescue. She had not however. taken
more than two or three steps when the
panther sprang az its throat again. Its
aim was true, for IL settled the claws Of
it, fore feet in the bears shoulder and
it, teeth IN her neck The bear now
struggled hard 10 shake the panther of.
but she cOuldn' do it Soon the panther
tore the bears entrails out with its hind
claws, and then it leaped away and
went 70 smelling after the cub. which
had crawled over 10 a tree near where
we had been watching the battle
ON came the panther, shifting along
the ground Tor the cub, which had re-
treated until II was within ten feet Of
Us. Then the panther paused. and for
the first time turned its attention 70 Us.
Its attitude was one of defiance. Ii
crouched and curled its lips up in a
hideOus snarl, and Burke. realizing the
danger we We're in. raised his Winches-
ter and fired. But his aim was too high.
and the savage beast sprang for my
bacS, tearing my coat into shreds and
leaving the marks of its claws on nv
shoulder. Once again the panther was
about 10 jump for me. But this time
Burke put bullet in vital spot and
the panther fell dead
I'VE didn't stop to look around any
longer that day for our steers. but the
next afternoon another cowboy belong
ing TO our camp ran across their remains
IN a gorge about half a mile away from
were we had shot the panther They
had been killed and partly devoured by
panthers. WASHINGTON Star.