82 SPORT m NORTH AMERICA. 



THE PANTHER. 



On a wintry clay, I happened to be shooting in 

 the forests which extend along the Erie railway. 

 Two friends, both of whom were capital sportsmen, 

 accompanied me, and we were all three mounted 

 on horseback, armed with our guns and followed by 

 a pack of six dogs, with a bloodhound. The part 

 of the wood which we happened to be drawing, 

 was very dense, and consisted principally of cedars, 

 cj^Dress, and reeds for undergrowth. There were a 

 great many little ponds about. The deepest gloom 

 prevailed in the forest, which seemed to be j^opu- 

 lated by a great variety of game. The atmosphere 

 was heavy, and the horizon dark and foggy, but in 

 spite of the obscurity, we had made up our minds 

 not to return without killing a deer. On a sud- 

 den, the bloodhound gave tongue, and after hunting 

 about a good deal, brought us up before a thicket 

 of cane, which was rendered quite inpenetrable by 

 the bindweed and creepers which interlaced it. 

 The dogs halted before this, and, after a moment's 

 hesitation, followed the bloodhound round the 

 thicket, pricking up their ears and all attent, 

 barking as if they were mad. We followed our 

 dogs up as well as the branches of tlie trees would 

 allow us, when presently, at the other side of the 



