GYPSUM GROTTO. 51 



abandoned the antelope, and, directing my rifle at the panther, sent a 

 ball through his chest, which stretched him out upon the grass about 

 ten yards from where I had taken my position. Impressed with the 

 belief that I had accomplished a feat of rather more than ordinary 

 importance in the sporting line, I placed my hand to my mouth, (" a la 

 savage,") and gave several as loud shouts of exultation as my weak 

 lungs would permit, partly for the purpose of giving vent to my feelinp-s 

 of triumph upon the occasion, and also to call the Captain, whom I 

 had left some distance back with the horses, As he did not hear me 

 I went back for him, and on returning to the spot where I had fired 

 upon the panther, we discovered him upon his feet making off. The 

 Captain gave him another shot as he was running, and then closed in 

 with his rifle clubbed, and it required several vigorous blows, laid on in 

 quick succession, to give him his quietus. 



The panther had probably heard the bleat, and was coming towards 

 it with the pleasant anticipation of making his breakfast from a tender 

 fawn ; but, fortunately for me, I disappointed him. It occurred to me 

 afterwards that it would not always be consistent with one's safety to 

 use the deer-bleat in this wild country, unless we were perfectly certain 

 we should have our wits about us in the event of a panther or large 

 bear (which is often the case) taking it into his head to give credence 

 to the counterfeit. This was a large specimen of the Fells concolor, or 

 North American cougar, measuring eight feet from his nose to the end 

 of the tail. 



June 29. — As we were unable to proceed further up this branch of 

 the river with the wagons, I concluded to, leave the main body of the 

 command under charge of Lieut. Updegraff, and, with Capt. McClellan 

 and a small escort of ten men, to push on and endeavor to reach the 

 head spring of this the principal branch of Red river. 



Taking provisions for six days, packed upon mules, we went forward 

 this morning over a constant succession of steep, rocky ridges, and 

 deep ravines, in one of which we discovered a grotto in the gypsum 

 rocks, which appeared to have been worn out by the continued action 

 of water, leaving an arched passway, the sides of which were perfectly 

 smooth and symmetrica], and composed of strata of three distinct 

 bright colors of green, pink, and white, arranged in such peculiar order 

 as to give it an appearance of singular beauty. On our arrival here 

 the men were much exhausted by rapid marching over the rough 

 ground, and were exceedingly thirsty. Fortunately we found near the 

 mouth of the grotto a spring of very cold water bursting out of the 

 rock ; and although it had the peculiar taste of the gypsum, yet they 



