ALMOST SURPRISED DY A PANTHER. 30\ 



he roused up and gave a slight growl. I thought I 

 heard something, and looking up to the hank behind 

 me, I was astonished to find two glowing eyeballs 

 steadily fixed upon me. My head being between the 

 fire and the animal, I could see them plainly just above 

 the bank. It must be a panther, and, judging from 

 the position, ready to spring. My rifle, as usual, lay 

 ready ; so, half raising myself, that I might have the 

 fire in a line with the two sights, I aimed between the 

 two fiery balls, and the roeks reechoed the report. 



Old Conwell was up like lightning with his rille 

 ready, and the dogs hunted about while I reloaded, 

 but all was as silent as the grave. The old fellow 

 shook his head, and asked what on earth I had been 

 firing at. I finished loading without a word, then 

 taking a brand from the fire and going about twenty 

 paces to a slope in the bank, I mounted, and found an 

 immense panther, quite dead. I threw him over, and 

 C. dragged him to the fire ; the ball had pierced his 

 brain through the right eye. lie was a very powerful 

 beast, had enormous fangs, and when we cut him open, 

 his stomach was Ibund quite empty. He must have 

 been attracted to the fire by hunger, and C. thought 

 he might have smelt the venison ; he would probably 

 have ventured a spring as soon as the fire had burnt 

 low ; the dogs could not scent him, as he was so much 

 above us. After skinning him we threw the carcass 

 into the river below the camp, as the dogs would not 

 touch it. We slept the rest of the night undisturbed. 



A light rain 1'ell next morning, which, in about, an 

 nour, moistened the dead leaves sufficiently for us to 

 walk without making a noise; so I made haste to 

 20 



