A hunter's life. 123 



her mother was very fijiid of it ; whereupon I took my dog 

 and gun, and set out for an evening hunt. 



As the movements of my dog showed me, beyond a 

 doubt, that there was game very near, I ordered hira to 

 go on, when he bounded off to a large mass of rocks. I 

 then knew it was not deer he was after, but that there 

 must be a bear hid in those rocks. Gunner presently came 

 to a great crack in the rocks, and, after scenting around 

 awhile, I told him to go in and fetch the animal out, be- 

 lieving that I should see a poor bear crawl out; for at that 

 time all bears were poor. Down went Gunner, while I 

 ran to the other side of the rock ; but to my astonishment 

 a panther bounded out, and, jumping from rock to rock, 

 soon got out of sight. The dog followed among the rocks 

 as best he could, and soon I could neither see nor hear 

 anything more of them ; but, after some minutes, the dog 

 opened again, as if he was coming back on the other side 

 of the rocks and laurel. 



I turned to follow the dog ; but all again becoming 

 quiet, I listened with anxiety, when I heard something 

 moving behind me. I looked around, and beheld the pan- 

 ther coming toward me, but not near enough for me to 

 shoot. He made a short turn, which brought him oppo- 

 site me, and within ten steps ; but he went on the off side 

 of a rock, that covered him from my shot. As I saw he 

 would have to come from behind the rock, and be exposed 

 to my view, I held my fire till he came out ; and as soon 

 as he made his appearance, I let him have a shot, which I 

 directed as near as I could for his heart. As the gun 

 ertcked he sprang into the air, snapping at the place where 

 the ball had struck him ; and then turning towards me, he 

 came on till within about five steps of me, put his paws on 

 a small fallen tree, and looked me full in the face. While 

 he stood looking av, me, I saw the blood streaming from 

 both sides of his body. He stood but a short time, and 



