HUNTING ON THE ARKANSAW. 67 



not move they stopped again, and began to feed, but not 

 without frequently raising their heads to listen. The 

 impression which the fall of his playfellow had produced 

 on the other fawn was very different. Far from flying, 

 he came nearer, smelt the poor animal as if he thought 

 it was play, setting his fore-foot several times on the 

 body of his comrade as if to induce him to get up. I had 

 the other barrel still loaded, but thought it would be like 

 murder to injure a hair of the little creature. 



As I stepped out from the bushes, the fawn stared at 

 me with astonishment in his large clear eyes ; probably 

 he had never seen a man before. He then flew like the 

 wind towards his dam, but stopping now and then as if 

 he expected his comrade. I quickly made a fire on the 

 spot to roast my game, putting the greater part of the 

 back and the brisket on sticks before the fire with hollow 

 bark underneath to catch the dripping for basting ; and 

 a delicious meal was very soon the result of this simple 

 proceeding. 



Next day, as I was going quietly along through forest 

 and prairie, looking out right and left for game or amuse- 

 ment, I caught sight of something in a large oak. Fix- 

 ing my eyes steadily on it, and coming closer, I recog- 

 nized the glowing eyes of a panther crouched on a bough, 

 and seemingly ready to spring. I gave him both barrels, 

 one after the other, when he fell from the tree, and died 

 with a fearful howl. He was a large handsome beast, 

 of an ashy gray color, and measuring from seven to eight 

 feet from the nose to the end of the tail. 



It was well that I had venison in my game-bag, f 

 the panther would have been a tough morsel. I dragged 



