2T2 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF 



close exan ination in the deep, dry snow, now revealed the 

 fact that it was not the trail of a big buck, as I had sup- 

 posed, but that of a panther, which had been hunting on 

 its own account ; and I found that it understood how to 

 find a deer as well as I did. 



After discovering that it was a panther, I followed the 

 track, to see where the animal took shelter, and traced it 

 into a very large laurel-swarap. As my dog was keen for 

 the chase, I let him off, when he dashed into the thicket, 

 and in a few minutes I heard him fighting ; then he started 

 off in full cry, but presently stopped, and commenced 

 barking. 



Creeping through the brush, which was covered all over 

 with snow, I came in sight of her ladyship, sitting in a 

 tree. I took good aim at her head, fired, and tumbled her 

 off her perch. I was so cold that I had a mind to leave 

 her until I could return in more moderate weather ; but 

 on second consideration, I went to work, tore off the skin, 

 cut off the head, and ran toward the house as fast as I 

 could. 



I had no more balls ; but on taking off the scalp of the 

 panther, I found in its head the ball which had caused its 

 death, beat it into a round form, and put it into my gun 

 again. 



As I proceeded on my way home, I found a very large 

 buck, lying down ; and creeping up very near, I shot him, 

 and the ball lodged as before. I found it a second time, 

 again beat it round, put it in my gun once more, and, find- 

 ing another deer between there and home, I was very near 

 getting a close shot ; and if it had laid still half a minute 

 longer, I would have killed it with the same ball with 

 which I had killed the panther and t)ie buck. I was 

 nearly frozen when I got to the fire. 



