The Winslow mail., 1900-06-07
A DISABLED HUNTER
and a BLIND PANTHER
ssIS az 7H7S az az NS M M ~ AZ
NJE WERE hunting for big game

N
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, a deer broke cover
in front of me and only pistol-shot
away. 1t was a fine buck, and he
walked into the open as cool and uncon-
cerned as if hunter had never thirsted
for his life. l 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,
1 followed at my best pace. The ground
was rough and covered with young
cedars, and, being bit excited, 1 paid
little heed to what was under foot. Of
a sudden l found myself falling, and,
as 1 went down, l dropped my gun to
clutch at the nearest branches. L went
down IL or Is feet over the edge of a
plunged forward and brought up on
ledge or shelf about four feet wide by
ten feet long. This shelf overhung a
depths 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
mass of rocks, was an opening which
I knew at first glance to be the den of
some wild animal. / did not take note
of these things at once, for in the fall
/ had broken two ribs and been badly
bruised, and was almost unconscious
for a quarter of an hour. When / raj
lied a bit L found a wall Is or 90 feet
high behind me, and as for the ravine
in front, / could not have crossed or
descended into it even had l not been
injured. l had just taken in the situa-
tion when the sky grew dark, the wind
swept up the ravine with Il long-drawn
moan, and snowhakes whirled thickly
around my head. 1 was lying quiet and
hoping the pain soon would become
easier, when got such shock as near
ly put my wits to sleep again.
Directly in front of me, across the
ravine, coming out of his den with
great dignity, appeared the largest
panther l had ever seen. He stood
snuffing the air and looking full at me,
and when l realized how helpless L was
things turned dark and l groaned in
despair. 1t was only fair leap for the
beast across the ravine, and 1 expected
him to make it at once and attack me;
but as the minutes passed away and he
still hesitated, L began TO wonder over
his actions. He turned to the left and
trotted along over the ground dis
tance of about 30 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 l got clear view
and saw that he was stone blind. There
was a white film over each eye, and he
could not see a 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 clock. Just sc
far down the ravine and return: lust
so far up the ravine and return. In go.
ing down he avoided a stunted cedar
growing in a crevice in the rocks; in
going up he avoided bush which was
in the direct path. Grace, itheness
strength, ferocity. The lower jaw was
down, and 1 had 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 a mans lee
and then strip the quivering flesh of
in fragments. There was a curious
fascination in watching the beast as he
took his promenade. 1 forgot my
plans as l rejoiced over his blindness
Had he been in possession of his natur-
al vlslon-could he have but seen ever
SO little-he would have sprung upon
me, fastened those yellow fangs in my
throat, and in so seconds al would have
been over. But he was blind, and
hoped he could not discover NV pres-
ence if L remained quiet.
Of sudden there was an alarm
The. snow was falling more thicklv
but the beast was so near that I couIf
catch his every moment. AS the wint
whirled up the ravine it created al
eddy. and from one of the circles o
this eddy he got my scent. Stoppin.
midway in his promenade, he reared
up and shifted the air with savag,
growls, and my heart beat so hare
that it seemed as z he must surel,
hear it and follow the sound unit
his hot breath was on my face. Sniff
snuff growl! To the right, to tn,
left, straight. ahead. After a minut,
he lost the scent, and then he stoot
still and uttered continuous growls a.
he waited to catch it again. His Ions
tail swept the ground in half circle
and his ears worked swiftly back anC
forth. After a minute he got tht
scent again. He reared up, whirlec
about three or four times as if on ;