PANTHERS, AND OUR OTHER CATS. 421 
were inmediatcly put in trim, and the party followed the 
dogs, at separate distances, but in sight of each other, deter- 
mined to shoot at no other game than the Panther. 
The dogs soon began to mouth, and suddenly quickened 
their pace. My companion concluded that the beast was 
on the ground, and putting our horses to a gentle gallop, 
we followed the curs, guided by their voices. The noise of 
the dogs increased, when, all of a sudden, their mode of 
barking became altered, and the squatter, urging me to push 
on, told me that the beast was treed, by which he meant that 
it had got upon some low branch of a large tree to rest for 
a few moments, and that should we not succeed in shooting 
him when thus situated, we might expect a long chase of it. 
As we approached the spot, we all by degrees united into a 
body, but on seeing the dogs at the foot of a large tree, 
separated again and galloped off to surround it. 
Each hunter now moved with caution, holding his gun 
ready, and allowing the bridle to dangle on the neck of his 
horse, as it advanced slowly towards the dogs. A shot from 
one of the party was heard, on which the Cougar was seen 
to leap to the ground, and bound off with such velocity as to 
show that he was very unwilling to stand our fire longer. The 
dogs set off in pursuit with great eagerness and a deafening 
ery. The hunter who had fired came up and said that his 
ball had hit the monster, and had probably broken one of his 
fore-legs near the shoulder, the only place at which he could 
aim. A slight trail of blood was discovered on the ground, 
but the curs proceeded at such a rate that we merely noticed 
this, and put spurs to our horses, which galloped on towards 
the centre of the Swamp. One bayou was crossed, then 
another still larger and more muddy; but the dogs were 
brushing forward, and as the horses began to pant at a 
furious rate, we judged it expedient to leave them and 
advance on foot. These determined hunters knew that the 
Cougar being wounded, would shortly ascend another tree, 
