106 Mr Audubon oti Hunting the Cougar or 



edge of the swamp, where it was agreed that all should disperse 

 and seek for the fresh track of the painter, it being previously 

 settled that the discoverer should blow his horn, and remain on 

 the spot until the rest should join him. In less than an hour 

 the sound of the horn was clearly heard, and, sticking close to 

 the squatter, off we went through the thick woods, guided only 

 by the now and then repeated call of the distant huntsmen. We 

 soon reached the spot, and in a short time the rest of the party 

 came up. The best dog was sent forward to track the cougar^ 

 and in a few moments the whole pack were observed diligently 

 trailing, and bearing in their course for the interior of the 

 swamp. The rifles were immediately put in trim, and the party 

 followed the dogs at separate distances, but in sight of each 

 other, determined to shoot at no other game than the panther. 



The dogs soon began to mouth, and suddenly quickened 

 their pace. My companion concluded tljat the beast was 

 on the ground, and putting our horses to a gentle gallop, 

 we followed the curs, guided by their voices. The noise of the 

 dogs increased, when all of a sudden their mode of barking be- 

 came altered, and the squatter, urging me to push on, told me 

 that the beast was treed, by which he meant that it had got 

 upon some low branch of a large tree to rest for a few moments, 

 and that should we not succeed in shooting him when thus si- 

 tuated, we might expect a long chase of it. As we approached 

 the spot, we all by degrees united into a body, but on seeing 

 the dogs at the foot of a large tree, separated again, and gal- 

 loped off to surround it. 



Each hunter now moved with caution, holding his gun ready, 

 and allowing the bridle to dangle on the neck of his horse, as it 

 advanced slowly towards the dogs. A shot from one of the 

 party was heard, on which the cougar was seen to leap to the 

 ground, and bound off with such velocity as to shew that 

 he was very unwilling to stand our fire longer. The dogs set 

 off in pursuit with great eagerness, and a deafening cry. The 

 hunter who had fired came up, and said that his ball had hit 

 the monster, and had probably broken one of his fore-legs near 

 the shoulder, the only place at which he could aim. A slight 

 trail of blood was discovered on the ground, but the curs pro- 

 ceeded at such a rate that we merely noticed this, and put spurs 



