140 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



Alter laboLii-ing for some lime in this way, I requested my 

 lumpanion to procure me a pole much stouter than the first, 

 so that, when the animal seized it, he could not press it be- 

 hind the rock; and must of necessity keep its head in view. 

 The pole, though not answering my expectations exactly, 

 enabled me, nevertheless, to discharge my piece at the 

 monster. I was exceedingly desirous of making a fatal 

 shot, and as an hour had elapsed since I entered the den, I 

 determined, at all hazards, to fire. Possibly I might hit — 

 eight chances out of ten were in my favour of doing so — or 

 that in case I missed, I could, with one spring, clear the 

 mouth of the cave. Under these impressions, I thrust the 

 pole once more at the Panther, and the moment it was 

 .seized, levelled my rifle and fired; at the next instant 

 I made a spring at the opening; my feet slipped on 

 the ice, and I slid backwards into the cave again. My 

 friend, who was on the alert, seeing me fall, and apprehen- 

 sive lest the Panther had seized me, let Lion loose; he 

 sprang over me in an instant, and made an attack upon the 

 common enemy, whosefury was now aroused to the highest 

 pitch by the ineffectual shot: the odds were fearfully great, 

 as a single blow of the monster's paw was sufficient to hurl 

 the poor dog with violence against the rocks, and fortu- 

 nately, beyond the reach of another, or his career would 

 have ended on the spot. It may be supposed that I quit the 

 cave with all convenient despatch; forbad I remained, my 

 condition might have been even worse tlian poor Lion's, 

 whose shoulder and side exhibited three frightful scratches, 

 of some fourteen inches long, which left four of his ribs 

 entirely bare. Our efforts to dislodge the Panther, proved, 

 thus far, unavailing; and havingspcntmuchtimeand labour, 

 and the day being excessively cold, we thought of blocking 

 him up until we could procure assistance, and the means 

 necessary to accomplish his destruction, for we felt unwil- 

 ling, after all our toil, to suffer liim to escape. I recollected 

 at this instant, that whilst in the cave, 1 thought I saw a 

 ray of light or small aperture at the extreme end, when the 

 Panther altered its position. I mentioned this circumstance 

 tomy companion, who proposed an examination of the back 

 part, or outer side of the cavern, and I was to remain at 

 the mouth, whilst he proceeded to examine. Tins cavern, 

 (as we have stated,) was at the termination of the ledge of 

 rocks, and jutted out considerably from the mountain, 

 against which a great number of hemlock trees had fallen, 

 and tlicsc being covered with snow at the time, prevented 

 our seeing the exact conformation of the ledge, until I men- 

 tioned the circumstance of my seeing the light. My friend 

 jirocceded there instantly, and soon returned with the infor- 

 mation, that there was a small aperture in the rock about 

 six inches wide and a foot long; that the Panther had com- 

 pletely jammed up the hole with his rump; whilst his tail 

 projected outside nearly its wliole length. Here was a dis- 



covery. I shall never forget the expression of my friend's 

 countenance, when heexclaimed, with great emphasis, "my 

 gracious! I can take him by the tail! and I have a great 

 mind to do so. I can then say, that I caught a full grown, 

 live Panther by the tail." He might, indeed, have done 

 so with impunity; but whether the measure would have 

 been politic, was another consideration — one thing, how- 

 ever, was certain, that was, his destruction, for which we 

 had been toiling in the midst of peril — it was now an easy 

 task; the bullet might be driven through his very vitals, 

 without incurring any personal risk. Would it, I thought, 

 be an act of cruelty to destroy this crudest of animals in his 

 fancied security? or would it not rather be considered a 

 service rendered to the community at large? This animal 

 might, if suffered to escape, prowl around the settler's habi- 

 tation, and cari-y ofl', in its unguarded moment, the helpless 

 infant; for when hunger presses, it becomes bold and dar- 

 ing, and nothing in the shape of food comes amiss. I accord- 

 ingly placed my rifle near his rump, and fired, the ball 

 coming out near his throat. It made one spring, and roared 

 tremendously; bit the rocks, and with its claws attempted 

 to enlarge the aperture, and get at us; but the wound was 

 mortal, and it fell dead in the cave. We then entered, and 

 fastening a withe around its neck, dragged it out: itprovedto 

 be a male of the largest size. We took it wi th us to our village, 

 (Deposit,) from whence it was taken to Delphi, in the same 

 county; and although Panthers were numerous there, yet 

 the circumstance of his having been "caught by the tail," 

 excited the astonishment of all who witnessed the magni- 

 tude of the monster. T. M. H. 



ANECDOTE OF A CROW. 



TjiE following circumstance was lately told me by an old 

 gentleman, a member of the Society of Fiiends, and one 

 in whose veracity I place the utmost reliance: About 

 ten years ago as he was riding in his carriage from this city 

 to his residence near Darby, passing a spot of marshy 

 ground, he observed a Crow hover over it, presently dart 

 down, and immediately ascend, bearingin its claws a Wood- 

 cock, held oddly enough by one wing, and struggling vio- 

 lently. As the direction in which the crow passed was 

 directly across the road along which the gentleman was tra- 

 velling, he formed the design of compelling his rapacious 

 Crowship to release the captive. With jiis whip he struck 

 several blows sharply upon the top of the carriage, and at 

 the same time, raising a shout, the Crow dropped his bur- 

 den, and flew screaming to the woods, and the Woodcock to 

 his marsh, without having received any apparent injury. 



Believing the foregoing to be an unusual occurrence, I 

 submit it for the speculation of the curiou.s. A. B. 



May, 1S31. 



