246 FIFTY YEARS A HUNTER AND TRAPPER. 



Father laughed at the idea of the panther screaming, when he 

 heard people telling of hearing them. 



However, regardless of what my father and other early set- 

 tlers of this section, who were not possessed of strong imaginary 

 minds have told me, as well as my own experience, I have evi- 

 dence that the panther does scream and scream terribly, too. 



A neighbor of mine, by the name of Mr. Mike Green, a man 

 about fifty years old, after reading the article which I mentioned 

 at the beginning, came to me and said that I was away off in 

 regard to the panther not screaming. He told of two occasions 

 where he had had adventures with panthers and they screamed 

 fearfully. One of Mr. Green's adventures happened in Clearfield 

 County, this state, the other in West Virginia. 



Mr. Green stated that he was driving a team, hauling sup- 

 plies for a lumber camp, when on two occasions he was out on 

 the road until late at night with his load of supplies some of which 

 consisted of several quarters of fresh beef. He heard the panther 

 scream out in the woods and narrowly escaped the panther by 

 whipping the team and driving rapidly into camp, the panther fol- 

 lowing him, screaming at every jump. 



A few nights later the panther again attacked Mr. Green near 

 camp. He heard it scream and again made haste to reach the camp. 

 When near camp the panther made several attempts to leap onto 

 the wagon, but owing to Mr. Green's rapid driving the panther 

 failed to reach the load. 



Later, Mr. Green was lumbering in West Virginia. The team- 

 ster who was hauling camp supplies the .same as Mr. Green had in 

 Clearfield County, was killed by a panther. Mr. Green heard the 

 panther scream and when the teamster did not come, he with others 

 from the camp went in search of the man, and found him dead. 

 The men in camp made up a purse to pay the burial expenses, Mr. 

 Green contributing to the fund. 



I have often been going along the road at dusk through the 

 woods and had an owl follow along for some distance, flying from 

 tree to tree, alighting on trees near me, and would often give one 

 of those screeches, which no doubt has often been mistaken for 



