404 Life of Audubon. 



best horses, whilst his sons were bestriding others of in- 

 ferior quality. Few words were uttered by the party 

 until we had 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 stick- 

 ing 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 

 mom ;nts the whole pack was 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 

 quickened their pace. My companions 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 ap- 

 proached the spot, we all by degrees united into a body, 

 but on seeing the dogs at the foot of a large tree, sepa- 

 rated again, and galloped off to surround it. Each hunt- 

 er now moved with caution, holding his gun ready, and 

 allowing the bridle to dangle on the neck of his horse, as 



