SUUPKISED BY A 1'AXTIIEK. 259 



and milk, of which he partook largely, and then began 

 to thaw, and speak of his exploits: he had fired eleven 

 times, and his piece had missed fire twenty-seven times, 

 u habit the old flint gun had ; but lie had never- 

 theless brought home seven ducks, and he had seen a 

 fresh panther trail ; the panther had probably seen him 

 from a tree, and jumped down and escaped. 



lie took, particular notice of my panther skin, and 

 thought that the re must be a number of them about, 

 but that formerly there were more than twice as many 

 in Kentucky. * Ah, at that time," said he, <k a man 

 might shoot five or six deer before breakfast, and once I 

 had got up at daylight, and shot two noble bucks, and 

 stalked a third for half a mile, when he got scent of 

 me, and escaped. I was tired with my exertions, and 

 had scarcely any sleep all night, for a rascally panther 

 had been howling near me, and several times came so 

 close to the tire that I could make out. his form, though 

 he never gave me time to put a ball into him with 

 certainty. So I threw myself under a tree, to rest a 

 little, meaning then to continue my sjx^rt ; but some- 

 how my eyes closed unconsciously ; and I can't say how 

 long I may have lain there, when, still half asleep, I 

 heard a strong rustling amongst the dry leaves which 

 surrounded me, and felt that they were being thrown 

 over me, so that I was quite covered in a few minutes. 

 Surprise at first, and then an instinct of danger, which I 

 did not quite understand, kept me motionless, awaiting 

 the result : before I had formed anv resolution, I heard 

 something moving stealthilv away, and cautiously raising 

 my head. >;iw a panther disappear in the thicket. My 

 first uet was to jump up and look to my priming, and 



