Year: 1864

"dlHy lell aSIeep with his gun folded IN


his arms But after awhile. he awoke


from bis sleep, and for moment or two


still lay In the same position as it happened,


without stirring, when he found that some


thing had taken place while be had slept.


which had situated him somew hat d different


iy from the manner in which he first went


to sleep On rejecting a moment, he found


he was entirely covered over, head and ears,


with leaves and light stuff, occasioued, as
he now suspected, either by the sudden
blowing OF the wind, or by some wild ami


NAL On which account be became little


Gl: turbed in his mind, as he we'll knew the


manners of the panther at that season of


the year, when it hunts to support its
| young, and will often cover it's prev with


leaves, and bring its whelps to the banquet.
| He therefore continued to lie perfectly
still, as when he first woke; he thought he
heard the step of some kind Of heavy ami


NAL near him; and knowing that if it were
pantheE, the distance between himself
and death could not he far, he made no
| attempt to rise up. Accordingly, as he
suspected, after having lain a :ull minute,


he now distinctly heard the retiring tread
OF the stealthy panther, OF which lie had


no doubt from the knowIed-e OF the crea-
lures ways. 1t had taken bur IA lew steps,


however, when it again stopped longer
time; still Wheaton continued bis silent
position knowing his safety depended much
on this Soon the tread was again heard.
farther and farther off, till it entirely died
| away in the distance-but he still Law mo-
tlOnless a few minutes longer, when he
| ventured gently, aud cautiously, to raise
his head and cast an eye in the direction
OF the creature, whatever it was, had gone,
but lie could see nothing. He now rose
with a spring, for his blood had been run.
ming from his heart to the extremities, and
back again, with uncommon velocity; all
the while his ears listened for the steps of
the animal on the leaves and brush He
now saw plainly the marks Of design
among the leaves, and that he had been
covered over, and that the paws Ct some
creature had done it.


AS he expected the panther was the
animal. he knew it would soon return to
kali him, on which account he made haste
to deceive it and to put himself in a stua


ton TO give it taste Of old SmO0M bore.


He now seized upon some pieces of old
wood which lay about, and placed as much
was rs equal to his own bulk exactly
where he had slept, end covered it over
with leaves in the same manner the panther
had done, and then sprung to a tree, near
by, into which he aScended, from whence
be had good and distinct view about him,
aud especially, in the direction the creature
had gone. Here, in the crotch Of the tree,
he stood with his gun resting across limb,
IN the direction Of the place where he had
been left by the panther, looking sharply
as far into the woods as possible, in the
direction he expected the creatures return.
but he had remained in this position but
SE0rt time, and had barely thrust the
ramrod down the barrel of his piece, to
be sure the charge was in her, and to ex.
anime her prlmiug, and shut down the pan
slowly, so that it should not snap, and
thus make a noise, when his keen Indian
eye, Tor such he had, caught glimpse of
monstrous panther, leading cautiously
two panther kittens towards her intended
supper.


Now matters were fastening to climax
rapidly, when Wheaton or the panther
must finish their hunting on the mountains
of the Susquehanna; for if old smooth
bore should fash in the pan, or miss her
aim, the die would be cast, as a second load
would be impossible ere her claws would
have sundered his heartstrings in the tree
where be was; or if he should but partially
wound her, the same must b; We been his
fate. During these thoughts the animal
hid her young under some brush, aud had
come within some thirty feet Of the spot
where she supposed her victim had still
Teen sleeping; aud seeing all as she lett it,
dropped down to 4 crOnching position, pre-
cl>eiy as cat when about to spring upon
its prey. Now was seen the soul of the
panther in its perfection; merging from the
recesses of nature, hidden by the Creator,
along the whole nervous system, but rest
ing chiefly in the braiu, from whence it
glared, 10 bright horror, from its burning
eyes, curled 10 its strong and vibrating tail,
pushed out its sharp, white and eliptical
tangs from its broad and powerful paws,
ready for rending, glittered on the points
of its uncovered teeth, and smoked in rap
id tissues of steam from its red and open
jaws, while every hair of its long dun back
stood erect in savage joy, denoting that the
fatal and decisive moment of its leap had |
come.


Now the horrid nesting of its hinder
claws drawn under its belly was heard, aud |
the bent ham strings We're seen but half an
instant by Wheaton, from where he sat in
the tree, when the tremendous leap was
made. 1t rose on long curve in the air,
OF about ten feet in the highest place, and !
from thence descending it struck exactly