84 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



friends had come up, and by their help I was able 

 to save my panther, and bring him out of the reach 

 of mischief. 



This was the first panther I ever killed, and I 

 must confess that my delight was unbounded. The 

 fellow I had bagged was a very fine one for the 

 United States, where the panther is usually about 

 the size of a large fox or a small wolf. The skin of 

 this one was of a pale russet, streaked at the neck 

 and at the end of the tail with oblong spots of a 

 bistre colour, edged with brown. His belly was 

 white ; large, bright, greenish yellow eyes ; his ears 

 were pointed, and his feet were armed with claws 

 half-an-inch long. 



Whilst we were admiiing the panther, the dogs 

 had discovered another scent, and were scurrying on 

 madly. We got to our horses, and after a quarter-of- 

 an-hour's chase and describing a circle of consider- 

 able magnitude, we found ourselves before the same 

 cane-brake. This time we tied up our beasts and 

 entered the labyrinth altogether ; when, lo ! on the 

 very spot where I had killed the panther, stood the 

 female, growling furiously, with her jaws foaming, 

 and wide open. — A broadside of three guns soon 

 rolled her over; for she was hit in the head, the 

 chest, and the belly. Without a moment's hesitation, 

 I drew my bowie-knife and set to work to skin the 

 panthers, aided by my friends, and we soon got off the 

 skins, with the paws and heads attached. This done. 



