Year: 1868

A hunter in the wilds of Texas, who


met many startling adventures and saw
1 some strange sights and strange crea.
/ lures, was once witness to singular
| battle on the banks OF lonely lagoon
I in the forest.


He had killed a black panther in this
/ place-more in self-defence than fOl
| game, for he was chasing wild cattle
/ that day-and leaving the carcass to re-
turn, possibly, by and by for its skin
hurried forward on a trail which he ex-
pected would lead to the object of his


hunt.


He came back before night with the
trophy of a wild BULLS hide, and passed


the lagoon where he had encountered


and killed his dangerous Rssailant in


the morning. Savage cries and sounds


Of brutal struggle informed him before


he came to the place that some deadly


battle was going on among the beasts Of


the forest.


He soon came in full view of the


scene, and a sanguinRrY one it was.


Four black panthers were ferociously


disputing the possession of the carcass


of the dead panther with two enormous


alligators. The object Of the com bRtants


on both sides appeared to be the same,


viz : to eat the carcass; and for this


both fought with bloody tenacity al
ternately tugging at the bone of conten-


tiOn by way of seeing how much was
gained.


The panthers were superior in num-


bers, two to one, but the aligatOrs had


much the thicker armour and could
fight with their tails as we'll as their
heads, so that the battle was pretty
nearly equal. One OF the big reptiles
had panther on his back, plying his
flank furiously with his claws, and
another was holding him by the fore


leg with jaws like a tiger. When he
succeeded in shaking off his savage as
sailants, his fore leg was broken, and a
slit was made in his side nearly through
the flesh into the entrails.


Meantime the other alligator was ma
king frantic efforts to get the third pans
ther into his mouth. He had nearly
succeeded when with a tremendous
swinge the huge tail of his fellow saur-
ian knocked out the panther and WedRed
itself firmly between his jaws. The
teeth snapped together like pair of
copper mill shears, and so one of the
tail thrashing cOmbatants was minus
his weapon.


The fourth panther, that had been vi
ciously busy with teeth and Jaws at the
throat of the curGailed reptile, now re-
doubled his attacks and with the aid of
the two others, in front and rear soon
disabled him. The third panther, Ow-
ing to his perilious entrance ana exit
through his enemy's jaws was put h0T8
d1s combat with broken back.


The fight was now between a single
alligator, and the three remaining cat
saVages. One of the three, however,
was by this time badly damaged. Some
terrific stroke or bite had completely
him, and the skin hung down
the side of bis neck, Tapping as he
fought. Another, apparently had a rib
broken, but did not seem to mind it.
The odds in the battle were still not so
very great.


Only the advantage of celebrity was
vastly on the side Of the panthers, and
when the alligator, with much Difficult
ty succeeded In seizing one of them, he
was so slow about crushing his prey,
and made so much awkward mouthing
Of it, that he put himself almost at the
mercy of his antagonists.


Still his powerful tail Was free, and
the cat like creatures in springing
about to find his vulnerable points,
were not so spry but they took some
cuffs from this cRudal blud-
ZeOn. Besides, during all the combat,
5he amphibians had been working
toward the water, and now the survivor /
was almost at the edge.


Once in the lagoon and his enemies /
would be pOWerless. The panthers /
seemed to be sensible of this, and by I
an artful movement both succeeded in /
getting at his throat while his mouth /
was full. A few seconds Of vigorous
Juggling and tearing at the tender flesh
made the alligator's death wound, and
be slid helplessly into the water.


Two panthers seemed to claim the
But they had scarce strength
enough left to snuff about the bodies of
their slain. Both were much the worse /
for Vvears-And the hunter IeVeIed his 4
rife and easily brought them down with 4
4 single shot apiece, after which he took /
off their hides and the hides of their /
companions, and made his way back to /
ais ranch.


In an eVentful life of more than ten II
years subsequently to this in frontier Il
he never saw anything in the /
shape of a forest or Jungle fight that Il
build compare with this combat be-
ween the panthers and RlligatOrs.-
Youths Comp pnnf0N.