Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-03-28

" " YE WERE hunting for big
"a ~ game among the Black
W " Hills, and one day, when
" " there vara eione in the

V "a \ game among the Black
W. " Hills, and one day, when
there were signs in the
air of coming snowstorm,1 I left camp
on my own hook and wandered away
for three or four miles. After an hour
or two, as stood resting beside tree,
deer broke cover in front of me. land
only pistol shot away. twas a fine
buck, and he walkel into the open as
cool and unconcerned as if hunterfhad
never thirsted for his life. I ought to
have dropped him dead at that dis
tance, but he fell at my fire, to get
up aud limp away, aud. believing him
to be wounded mortally, I followed
ct my best pace. The ground was
rougl, aud covered with young cedara.
and, being a BIT excited, Ipaid little
heet. to what was under foot.
OF O sudden found myself falling,
and, as I went down, dropped my
gun to clutch Mt the nearest branches.
/ went down IL or Is feet over the
edge of rsvine, struck on my feet,
and then plunged forward and brought
up on ledge or shelf about four feet
wide by ten feet long. This shelf
overhung depth so black and dismal
that dared not wonder how far down
it was to the tiny stream flowing over
the rocks at the bottom. The ravine
was about Is feet wide, and directly
opposite me, in a mass of rocks, was
an opening which I knew at first glance
TO be the den of some wild animal,
81 Z did not take note of these things
at once, for in the fall I had broken
two1ibs and been badly bruised, and
was almost unconscious for. q quarter
of an hour. When rallied bit I
found wall Is or 20 feet high behind
me, aud as for the ravine in front, /
could not have crossed or descended
into it even had I not been injured. I
had just taken in the situation when
the sky grew dark, the wind swept up
the ravine with long-drawn moan,
and snowHakes whirled thickly around
my head. I could not tell Mt first how
badly was hurt, as most of my body
seemed to be asleep, and I naturally
hesitated to find ont. remembering
that was miles from camp and could
expect no help. I was lying quiet
and hoping the pain soon would be-,
come easier, when got such shock
as nearly put my wits to sleep again.
Directly in front of me, across the
ravine, coming cut of his den with
great dignity, appeared the largest
panther I ever had seen. He stood
snuffing the air and looking full at
me, and whenIrealized how helpless
Twas things turned dark, and II groaned
in despnir.6 1T WAS only fair leap for
the beast across the ravine, and I ex-
pected him to make it at once and at
tack me; but as thesminutes passed
away and he still hesitated I began to
wonder over his actions.:H e,sturned
to the left and trotted along over the
ground q distance Of about 20 feet.
Then Be-wheeled and passed the dfn
by shout: the same distance the other
way: When he had gone over this
beat tgo or three times I discovered
what was the matter. AS he came
toward me I got clear view, and saw
that he'was stone blind. There was
white film over each eye, and he
could not have se:n tree in his path.
A blind panther out for exercise
blind death trotting along in front Of
me, 30 helpless that he could not have
made his eyes keep him from starva-
tion. You have seen the panther con-
fined in a cage, his limbs stiffened, his
teeth broken and his savage nature
toned down by long Imprisonment and
the sight of humanity until he scarce
ly snarls at the cane thrust to stir him
up. This one, despite his misfortune,
was 1.-the, supple, vigilant-a combi-
nation Of strength and ferceness pos
sessed only by the lion or the tiger.
Disease or accident had blinded him,
but he possessed every other power
nature gives to the dreaded beast. In
stinct had taught to him the lay OF
the ground. He may have passed
overit thousand times. His move
ments were asregular as the pendulum
of clock. Just SO far down the
rarine and return; just-ao far up the
ravine and return. In going down he
avoided. q stunted cedar growing in a
crevice in the rocks; in going up he
avoided bush which was in the di-
rect path. Grace, lithenesss, strength,
ferocity. The lower jaw was down,
and had fine view of the fangs
which could rend the hide of horse.
At every move the terrible claws
clicked and grated -clawswhich would
sink togebe boncsof aman's leg and
then strip the quivering flesh off in
bloody fragments. There was Gu
rious fascination in watching the beast
as he took his promenade. forgot
my pains as I rejoiced ever his blind
ness. Had he been possessed of his
natural vision could he have but seen
ever so little--he would have sprung
upon me, fastened those yellow fangs
in my throat, and in 80 seconds all
would lave been over. But he was
blind, and I hoped he could not dis
cover my presence if remained
quiet.
Of a sudden there was an alarm.
The SNOW was falling more thickly,
S,,,t tLa haa Of yvaa al near that T could