ENCOUNTER WITH THE COUGAR. 97 



ers, repressing their eagerness, moved their well- 

 trained horses cautiously forward. A shot was 

 heard. The cougar leapt to the ground, but 

 again bounded off, the dogs now darting in pur- 

 suit, with deafening cries, still towards the cen- 

 tre of the swamp. A slight trail of blood upon 

 the ground convinced the pursuers that the mon- 

 ster had not been aimed at in vain. 



On sped the hounds, till the horses, spurred 

 forwards and emulating their swift march, be- 

 gan to pant in the chase. The panther being 

 wounded, the wily hunters well knew he would 

 soon ascend another tree for refuge. Dismount- 

 ing then their weary horses, the combatants, 

 nothing disheartened, pressed forward on foot. 

 Pools, one after another, still larger and more 

 stagnant, fallen trees and tangled brushwood, 

 which covered acres of the ground, were soon 

 crossed. After a march of two hours again, the 

 exciting cry of the hounds was heard. Stimu- 

 lated stni more in the chase, each one, elated 

 with the hope of being the first to terminate 

 the career of the terrible cougar, seemed ani- 

 mated with the indomitable ambition of Hercu- 

 les, Theseus, or St. George. At last, from the 

 peculiar barking of the dogs, they knew the 

 cougar was again treed, and this time, as they 

 approached, beheld the ferocious animal dis- 

 tinctly, lying across the huge trunk of a cotton- 

 9 a 



