HUNTING THE PANTHER. 131 



by us in a small bottle, we proceeded to make a 

 thorough and systematic search for the panther. 



The hammock was in the pine woods, and was just 

 such a one as is common in the Florida pine barrens a 

 collection of oaks and other deciduous trees, with an 

 abundance of vines and undergrowth. 



We proceeded but slowly, for neither of us cared to 

 meet the animal without an introduction, and it was 

 late in the afternoon when we approached the centre of 

 the clump toward which we had been steadily working. 

 We had held the dog back all this time, for fear he would 

 cause the beast to take refuge in another hammock, but 

 but no sooner had we reached this central clump of old 

 oaks and tangled briers, than he dashed madly forward 

 and wildly clawed at the bark of a huge old oak some 

 forty yards away. A panther in a tree is a trouble 

 some thing to see, especially after the sun has dipped 

 below the horizon ; and again, the color of a panther so 

 assimilates with that of the rough brown bark that it 

 takes a sharp eye to detect one, even when you know 

 he is there. 



Guided by Jim s finger, I saw two fiery eyes gleaming 

 from over a large limb, close to the trunk of the tree. 

 Ugh ! how they pierced me. They seemed to burn me 

 through and through. Following down I soon saw the 

 animal s tail, nervously working from side to side. His 

 body was hidden behind the tree. 



&quot;There&quot; said Jim, &quot;you take the gun and shoot 

 just below his eyes. If you do that you ll likely hit him 

 in the throat.&quot; 



&quot; No, Jim, I think you can do this business best ; 

 you see I am not not much in the panther line, anyhow.&quot; 



&quot;No, you be hanged ! you can shoot better n I can 



