HUNTING THE COUGAR. 239 



reached the 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 

 huntsman. 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 quick- 

 ened their pace. My companion concluded that 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 became 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 situated, 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 

 galloped off to surround it. 



