Year: 1879

in the log seemed 10 o11er a refuge
and [ threw IN my gun, and then
backed into it myself, feet first.


I kept backing till I was as far
as l could get, and there lay and
painted. / had got back ten 'or
twelve feet.


For some minutes, could hear
nothing of the panther. Then l
heard him moving about with
soft, catlike steps. A moment
after, the hole at the end Of the
log darkened, and [ caught a
! glimpse Of two fiery orbs, that
! cleaned with a pale flash.


In my frantic haste, I had
! thrust my gun into the log muz.
! zle foremost. It was useless. |
could not turn it in there yet l
held the but ready to thrast with.
The creature, however, did not
attempt to crawl in. After an
| eager look, the eyes disappeared !;
and little after, I heard the beast
at the other end.


Then 7 heard him smelling
along the outside of the log.
When he got his nose just off
against where I lay inside, tho
animal gavevent to a quick growl,
and began to dig!


It made me shiver to hear him
put his nails into that log l ex-
pected nothing but he would have
it open and ella" me out.


But suppose the outside of the
log was tolerably sound and
tough; for after digging like a
fury for few seconds, he stopped,
and then I saw the pale CLEAN Of
eyes at the hole again.


I hailoed and yelled at him.
But the eyes continued to regard
me steadily, and they seemed to
grow larger and larger there in
the dark.


Then it went back to the other
end, and pretty soon began to Dig
once more. I could hear the
splinters tear off. How long it
would take the creature to get
through the log, I could only
guess, but I got out my knife and
opened it.


The animal kept digging at
the log for a long time, first ct
one end and then at the other,
| but never once tried to crawl 10.
1t was lucky for me that this was
tolerably sound log.


Then he changed his tactics.
He left off tearing at the log, and
l rather thought he had gone
away. But as it was very dark, l
concluded to stay where I was till
daylight.


It was not a very uncomfortable
position. But there we're plenty
of great black ants that kept run
ming over me, and now and then
I got a bite, sharp as needle.
My fright wore away, and being
very much exhausted with my
run, I fell asleep several times.
But it was tedious night at
best.


After it was light, l determined
to venture out. But first I thought
it would be we'll to try an ex-
pertinent.


So I put my cap on the butt OF
the gun and stuck that out, and
moved it around a little. was
just going to draw it back, when,
pounce! came the creature and
grabbed off the cap, its ugly
claws scratching on the gun butt.


That made my heart jump.
The sly brute had been lying in
wait all the while, watching for
me. He played around for n few
minutes; but after that heard
nothing more of him for the day.
Yet I dared not come out, and L
passed some hungry hours. | had
already been twenty-four hours
without a mouthful Of food.


Just at night I thrust out my
cap again.


The animal did not spring at it;
vet [ was still afraid to crawl forth
after the example I had had Of it's
slyness.


The night that followed was,
without any exception, the most
uncomfortable twelve hours l
ever passed. | was faint with
hunger, and from lying so long
stretched out, it seemed as IT l