Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-03-11
FIGHT TO A FINISH.
BETWEEN PANTHER AND A
BEAR In ARIZONA FOREST.
Frantic to Rescue Her stolen Cub the
she-Bear Prectpitated Furious
Battle That Resulted In Her Awful
Death.

The sportsman who has laundering
for exciting hunting" said an Arizona
man, after listening to the story
of friend who had had
several thrilling encounters with
tigers in India. may have plen-
" of ii anywhere among the
mountains of eastern Arizona. Pan
theirs like those one reads about in
tales of frontier life are still TO be met
In all their pristine ugliness and
strength. l recall a very narrow es-
cape which | and another cowboy
named Burke had two years ago in
one OF the forests of that state. We
were returning to camp, after an alb
sence of several days. with large
herd of cattle. and late in the after
noon we missed two steers which had
evidently entered and strayed away in
the forest along the edge OF which our
journey homeward lay. Not wishing
to lose the animals in the forest, where
thousands of panthers were known to
abound. we allowed the cattle to go
on ahead. and, urging our horses on.
went in search of the beasts.
I'VE had not gone very far into the
thick OF the forest, which was In places
covered with a heavy underground Of
bushes, when We thought we heard a
noise resembling that made by the
hoofs OF steer in walking through
bushes. As we got little nearer to
the bushes where we had heard the
noise, Burke. who was little ahead OF
me. suddenly refined up his horse. He
must have heard something that
startled him, for he waved me back
and then cooked his gun. A moment
later big panther came in view, car
rying squalling cub bear in its
mouth. 1t carried the cub as cat
would a mouse. and as it did not APP
pear to notice our presence, Burke
took his gun from his shoulder. and
we both sat there looking and Won
dering what the wild beast would do
with its prey.
"Our interest was still more excited
when, a few moments later, the vail
ing mother bear made its appearance.
She was evidently afraid to tackle the
panther, and that beast appeared to
know it. But presently the panther
put the cub on the ground, as II to
get a better hold on it's neck, when
the bear plunged at the panther and
caught it round the body just in front
OF the hind legs. Like a fash the
panther flung the cub into the air,
yanked itself loose and, turning
quickly, jumped at the bear. The bear
knocked the panther to one side, and
a second stroke Of it's paw sent the
big cat flying in the bushes. But at
this stage of the fight the cub squealed
once more. and the mother bear. SEEM
ing to forget everything but her young
one. rushed to its rescue. She had not,
however, taken more than three or
four steps when the panther sprang at
her throat again. It's aim was true, for
/ 1t settled the claws of its fore feet
in the bears shoulder and its teeth in
/ her neck. The bear now struggled
/ hard to shake the panther off. but she
/ couldn't do It. Soon the panther tore
1 the bears entrails out with it's hind
claws; then it leaped away and went
I to smelling after the cub, which had
/ crawled over to the tree near where
we had been watching the battle.
"On came the panther, shifting along
/ the ground for the cub, which had re-
I treated until 1t was within ten feet Of
/ us. Then the panther paused, and
/ for the first time turned its attention
! to us. It's attitude was one of def
ance. 1t crouched and curled its lips
up In a hideous snarl, and Burke, re-
alizing the danger we were in, raised
! his Winchester and fired. But his aim
was too high, and the savage beast
sprang for my back, tearing my coal
into shreds and leaving the marks Of
its claws on my shoulder. Once again
the panther was about to jump for me
but this time Burke put bullet in q
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 be
longing to our camp ran across theil
remains in a gorge about half mile
away from where we had shot the pan
Their. They had been killed and partly
devoured by panthers."