The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-04-26
A DISABLED HUNTER
and a BLIND PANTHER
iSzE7IS ~ az alS SlS ~ 7ENS'


w among the Black hills, and one
day. when there were signs in the air
of a coming snowstorm, left camp and
wandered away for three or four miles.
After an hour or two, as / stood rest
ing beside a tree, deer broke cover
in front of me and only pistol-shot
away. 1t was fine buck, and he
walked into the open as cool and uncon.
cerned as if hunter had never thirsted
for his life. ought to have dropped
him dead at that distance, but he fell
atmy fire, to get up and limp away, and,
believing him to be wounded mortally,
/ followed at my best pace. The ground
was rough and covered with young
cedars, and, being bit excited, paid
little heed to what was under foot. OF
sudden l found myself falling, and,
as went down, l dropped my gun to
clutch at the nearest branches. Invent
down 12 or Is feet over the edge of Il
ravine, struck on my feet, and then
plunged forward and brought up on IA
ledge or shelf about four feet wide by
ten feet long. This shelf overhung Il
depths so black and dismal that dared
not wonder how far down it was to the
tiny stream flowing over the rocks al
the bo tom. The ravine was about IL
feet wide, and directly opposite me. il.
mass of rocks, was an opening whici,
knew at first glance to be the den Of
some wild animal. did not take note
of these things at once. for in the fail
] had broken two ribs and been badly
br,1iSe1 and Iyns almost rppch Snio,-c
for quarter of an hour. When raj
| lied bit ] found wall IS or 20 feet
| high behind me, and as for the ravine
in front. ! could not have crossed or
descended into ii even had ! not been
injured. | had Just taken in the situa--
tion when the sky grew dark. the wind
swept up the ravine with Il long-drawn
moan. and snowfiakes whirled thickly
around my head. twas lying quiet and
hoping the pain soon would become
easier, when got such a shock as near
ly put my wits to sleep again.
Directly in front of me. across the
ravinc, coming out of his den with
great dignity, appeared the largest
! panther had ever seen. He stood
snuffing the air and looking full at me,
and when | realized how helpless was
things turned dark and l groaned in
despair. 1t was only fair leap for the
beast across the ravine, and l expected
him to make it at once and attack me;
but rs the minutes passed away and he
still hcsitated, | began to wonder over
his actions. lie turned to the left and
trotted along over the ground dis
tance of about 20 feet. Then he wheeled
and passed the den by about the same
distance the other way. When he had
gone over this beat two or three times
| discovered what was the matter. AS
he came toward me got clear view,
and saw that he was stone blind. There
was white film over each eve, and he
could not see tree in his path. Dis
ease or accident had blinded him, but
instinct had taught him the lay of the
ground. His movements were as regu-
lar as the pendulum Of a clock. Just so
far down the raVine and return; just
so far up the ravine and return. In go
ing down he avoided stunted cedar
growing in a crevice in the rocks; in
1 going up he avoided bush which was
| in the direct path. Grace, litheness.
strength, ferocity. The lower jaw was
down, and I had a fine view of the
fangs which could rend the hide of a
horse. At every move the terrible.
claws clicked and grated-claws which
would sink to the bone of q mans leg
and then strip the quivering flesh off
in fragments. There was curious
fascination in watching the beast as he
took his promenade. 1 forgot my
plans as I rejoiced> over his blindness.
Had he been in possession of his natur-
al 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 have
been over. But he was blind, and l
hoped he could not discover my pres
ence if ! remained quiet.
Of a sudden there was an alarm.
The snow was falling more thickly,
but the beast was SO near that could
catch his every moment. AS the wind
whirled up the ravine it created an
eddy, and from one of the circles of
this eddy he got my scent. Stopping
midway in his promenade, he reared
up anu SnlHeu the air Win savage
growls, and my heart beat so hard
that it seemed as if he must surely
hear it and follow the sound until
his hot breath was on my face. Sniff
-snuff-growl! To the right, to the
left, straight ahead, After minute
he lost the scent, and then he stood
still and uttered continuous growls as
he waited to catch it again. His long
tail swept the ground in balf circle,
and his ears worked swiftly back and
forth. After minute he got the
scent again. He reared up, whirled
about three or four times as if on u
pivot, and then he pointed full at me.
A tape line Is feet long would have
covered the ground between us-be-
tween where ! lay helpless and he
half crouched foS spring. If the
film could be torn from those eyes,
how they would CLINT and glitter and
hazel There WAS sOmethinp in the