244 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



of my horse, for be started off as rapidly as he had 

 come there, draggmg after him the Red Skin, who 

 held tight by the bridle. In a twinkling, they were 

 out of sight, and it was not long before the last of 

 the Comanches disappeared behind a spur of the 

 mountain. Afterwards, I heard one or two shots, 

 and then nothing more. I felt that I was abandoned 

 in the terrible solitude, and could hear nothing but 

 the growls of the bear dying at the foot of the tree. 

 These strange events had succeeded each other 

 with such rapidity, that I felt in a state of utter con- 

 fusion. I doubted whether I was not the sport of 

 some dream. Here was I, three hundred miles from 

 the outposts of civilisation, perched in a tree, without 

 horse or friend, in the midst of what appeared to be 

 eternal solitude. As soon as I could calm myself I 

 began to reflect. I hoped that my companions 

 would come in search of me. The idea of suicide 

 occurred to me, but I banished it at once. I then 

 thought that I would finish the bear, and provide 

 myself with a stock of his flesh in case of necessity. 

 For this purpose I drew my knife, and was about to 

 put my project into execution, when a loud roar 

 attracted my attention, and upon looking round I 

 saw a round cat-like head resting between two 

 branches of a tree. It was a panther, and as my 

 gaze was fixed upon this new and terrible foe, the 

 creature seemed not to see me, for its eyes were 

 wandering all around, and its covmtenance wore any- 



