290 



FORES1 AND -STREAM. 



into which lie lias retired to hybernate, or when, possibly, 

 he has been slightly wouuded with a bullet, or hit. upon 

 the nose with a heavy missile, then he is no gentle cus- 

 tomer for dogs to encounter, or men either, for that matter. 

 Bear hunts iii the Bottom are ell much alike, ami they in- 

 variably have one Issue: a tedious search for the hear— the 

 provocation of him to combat, sometimes as tedious — a 

 short, sharp tussle with the dogs — a few bold strokes with 

 the knife— and thai is the death of bruin. The tight with 



isthe exciting part of the business, and if the 

 i .":.::- -lin iii danger of faring badly, the bear receives 

 ■ bo much the sooner. 



.unlry in the neighborhood of Austin, Bolivar 

 county, dlis.-is".-ippi, and in the vicinity of Helena, Arknn- 

 v or thirty miles below Austin, answers 

 The description given above. Indeed, in 

 ele, 1 had these two districts chiefly in my 

 mind. This Winter three years ago I was hunting in Ark- 

 ansas, a hundred miles or more North ot Helena; but it is 

 a much longer period since last I was in Mississippi in 

 search of game. The folks then were trying to reconstruct 

 and recuperate, and toiling wry hard, wi"th varying success, 

 to grow a hale of cotton to the acre. The sport then was 



: I describe it, and from all I can learn it i.> little 

 inferior now. But the sportsman lias this great advantage 

 in the Bottom: it is impossible he can be cribbed, cabined, 

 and confined i» one spot, for helms only to hail the first 

 steamer in Order to transport himself to "fresh fields and 

 pastures new." 



■«■» 



for Forest ar<d Stream. 

 * FLORIDA SKETCH ES.— No. 2. 



Till'. KLOIIIDA rANTITER. 



writing t 



TO the average Florida tourist who sails luxurouslyup 

 the St. John's, or stays idling at the hotel, the idea 

 that there are predatory animals in The Slate rarely occurs. 

 It is only to the camper-out that the privilege, of making 

 their acquaintance, is vouchsafed. If he camp in a place 

 Sufficiently remote from civilization he will probably be 

 favored with a sight at the animal mentioned above. It is 

 more than likely That he will be favored with its moaning 

 cry ot see its signs about his camp. The panther is so 

 tarely seen, however, that it is regarded as mythical by 

 lmmv nieu professing to be hunters. It has been ray rare 

 good fortune to meet with, and be in at the death of oue, 

 and soon after the demise of several others. There is a 

 I i nice existing between this panther, tiger or puma, 

 and the wild cat, or lynx. The latter animal, and another, 

 the catamount, oecur'iu Florida, but are not half the size 

 of the panther. The latter has been found measuring nine 

 feet from lip to tip. 1 have seen one measuring eight feel 

 four inches, and have the skin of one measuring eight feet 

 gijud In color, the panther is a yellowish-brown, darker 

 on the back, growing to a yellowish-white on the belly. It 

 h&S great strength and no pack of dogs can successfully at- 

 tack one. It frequents the swamps and hammocks during 

 the day, and seeks its prey by night. Old hunters say it 



wary travelers. Its tracks may be frequently' seen in the 



WOOdB back of Indian River, or" interior. I have been told 

 that an animal linger than this, .spotted ami striped — 

 in fact, the regular tiger— was seen near New Smyrna, 

 but l his is the only related instance, and not likely 

 to prove correct. This animal is more generally known by 

 the name of tiger than any other, and as such is spoken of 

 With dread by the ''crackers." The only panther 1 ever 

 lad a hand in killing was a goodly sized oue near Hope 

 bound. 1 was camped at St. Sebastian Creek, and having 

 with me the prince of boatmen, Jim R., lacked not in 

 either fish or game. But ducks and fish were not enough 

 to satisfy, even in the abundance provided there, by a lavish 

 nature, and 1 cast about for some new diversion. 



It was at this period that Jim suggested we should go 

 down the river and secure the skeleton of a manatee we 

 had discovered a month previous. It was just the thing, and 

 We were soon sailing down river with a lair wind. It was 

 about fifty miles, and we camped that night a dozen miles 

 from oilr destination. When we awoke next morning we 

 discovered that our whole stock of pork was missing. 

 Further search revealed the tracks of a panther, and, con- 

 necting the circumstances, we were at no loss to account 

 for the absence of the pork. The most aggravating cir- 

 cumstance was, that the theft-had been committed while 

 we had a dog in 'he camp, whose sole purpose was to guard 

 our property. It was useless to follow up the trail, as it 

 was soon lost, and we left camp and entered the Narrows, 

 beueath the shade of India rubber and palm. The mana- 

 tee we were in search of had been discovered in a decom- 

 posed state, so, as it was securely lodged in a bend of the 

 channel, we had left it to the tender mercies ot a coroner's 

 jury of vultures, intending to return for it later. Now we 

 had returned, and making our boat fast over the spot where 

 we supposed the ivory lay, we proceeded to business. As 

 the only method of getting it was by diving, and the water 

 swarmed with the Ugliest alligators ever seen by mortal 

 man, there wis no rivalry between Jim and myself — in fact, 

 Jim desired to give me precedence; he was perfectly willing 

 I should lake the lead in the way of diving, and developed 

 u new feature in his disposition." Around our camp fire he 

 always manifested n disposition to secure a front seal when 

 tlie pork and flapjacks came along, but now a change had 

 come over him, and my impetuous Jim seemed inclined to 

 resign the role of leader and be content wilh that of fol- 

 lower. But I was not at all desirous of securing glory at 

 his expense, and so ho went, overboard first and t followed 

 The Water was about neck deep, and ral her cold. Our 

 mode of operation was to wade about, feeling the mud be- 

 neath us with our leet for the ivory. Occasionally we 

 wuuld assume the position of ducks feeding in shallow 

 Water, groping about the mud with our hands. W T ith our 

 heads' under water we might have reminded a disinterested 

 spectator — though there was not another while man in a 

 I i a dozen miles— of the ostrich who thought so 

 long as his head was covered his extremities were secure. 

 But we didn't think so, for we were constantly thinking of 

 our unprotected parts, and we often wondered whether the 

 saying that an alligator wouldn't bite a while man were 

 true. 



It was upon coming up from such a position as I have 

 described llitit I heard a low gi'owl from our dog, a huge 

 i il', whom we had left aboard the boat. Following 

 the direction of his fixed and eager gaze, I saw, as soon as 

 the water had cleared from my eyes, a huge, cat-like 

 animal stealthily moving among "the "mangroves on shore. 

 I remember getting a glimpse of a burning pair of eyes, 



and then I imitated the ostrich before alluded to, and stuck 

 my head under water and started for the boat. Jim had 

 seen ihe animal at about the same time, and although [ 

 Blurted first for the boat, he had reached it first, being 

 much nearer. 



Snatching my double-barrelled breech loader and slipping 

 in a couple of buck shot carl ridges, he jumped into his 

 breechefi and then jumped ashore, and was' far on the trail 

 Of panther and dog before I liad equipped myself for the 

 race. Putting on pants and moccasins, I look a lame fiowie 

 knife, the only available weapon, and insanely followed on 

 the trail. It. was long and circuituous, but I finally found 

 them — Jim and the dog— a mile or so from the boat. 1 

 knew from the silence of Ihe dog, some lime before I 

 reached litem, thai Ihe panther was treed, and did not need 

 Jim's information to that effect. Il was in a small ham- 

 mock of an acre or so that they had brought him to bay, 

 and after closely reconnoiteriug we concluded he would be 

 likely to slay till dark, and that it would be. best, for one of 

 us to return and gel some more ammunition and the rest of 

 our clothes. Accordingly, I remained, guarding the ham- 

 mock until Jim returned "with the necessary articles. Tak- 

 ing COUragO, from a small slock we had" by us in a small 

 bottle, we proceeded to make a thorough and systematic 

 search for ihe panther. 



The hammock was in the pine woods, and was just such 

 a one as is common in the Florida pine barrens— a collec- 

 tion of oaks and other deciduous trees, wilh an abundance 



We proceeded but slowly, for neither of us cared to meet 

 the animal without an introduction, and it was late in the 

 afternoon when we approached the centre of Ihe clump 

 towards which we had been steadily working. n e had 

 held the dog back all this time, for fear he would cause ihe 

 beast to lake refuge in another hammock, but no sooner 

 had we reached this central clump of old oaks and tangled 

 briars, than he dashed madly forward, and wildly clawed 

 at lliw bark of a huge old oak some forty yards away. A 

 panther in a tree is a troublesome thing t"o see, especially 

 after Ihe sun has dipped below the horizon; and again, the 

 color of a panther so' assimilates with that of the rough, 

 brown bark, that il lakes a sharp eye to detect one, even 



Guided by Jim's linger, I saw two firey eyes gleaming 

 from over a large limb, close to Ihe trunk of 'the tree. 

 Ugh! how i hey pierced me. They seemed to burn me 

 through and through. Following 'down I soon saw the 

 animal's tail, nervously working from side to side. His 

 body was hidden behind the tree. 



"There," said Jim, "you take the gun and shoot just 

 below his eyes. If you do that you'll likely hit him in the 

 throat." 



"No, Jim, I think you can do this business best; you see 

 I am not much in the panther line, anyhow." 



"No, you be hanged ! you can shoot better'n 1 can with 

 that gun, and besides, you can hit him as he jumps, for 

 you're good on the wing, you know. I'll stand ready to 

 slick him when he falls, old boy. an' I'll fix him if you 

 don't." 



So saying, he handed me the gun and look the bowie. I 

 always llstd thought t should like to kill a panther, and had 

 Of leu pictured to. myself a panther in my clutches, with 

 my left hand hold of his tongue and my right in the act of 

 plunging a knife into his throat. But now the supreme 

 moment had arrived I was actually shaking with fear, or 

 something akin, and refusing the high honor of killing one. 

 But I knew thai, as Jim had said, tt was best that I should 

 start the panther up and leave to him the coup lie grace. 

 Settling myself lo this, I tried, hy a desperate effort, to 

 quiet my neves. Securing a position behind Ihe trunk of 

 a palmetto, I rested the gnu against it and sighted just be- 

 low (hose blazing orbs. It was an eventful moment. It 

 was lo fire or not to lire — to leave the panther unprovoked, 

 or arouse a terrible destructive power lhat nothing but 

 death would allay. My hand yet trembled, and I let ihe 

 barrels fall; but, with a powerful effort, 1 hold the sight 

 upon the panther's throat again and fired. With the re- 

 port came a howl ot anguish and a rushing noise as the 

 huge animal launched himself into Ihe air. There were no 

 shaking limbs now, but with nerves and muscles tense, 1 

 held my gun upon him, and stopped him midway his leap, 

 as it were- I have shot birds when their flight was so 

 swift that their wings seemed a misty film, but never, it 

 seemed to me, had I such speed and velocity to overcome 

 before. 



He fell nearly at my feet, and the dog was upon him 

 ere he had hardly touched the ground. " The growling, 

 snarling and snapping thai ensued was horrible beyond 

 description, but it struck no terror lolhoheait of my guide, 

 for, watching his opportunity, he rushed in and plunged 

 the long bowie almost to the hilt in the panther's side. 

 Groaning and gasping for breath, the animal tottered, 

 fell upon his side and yielded at last, overcome by superior 

 numbers. We skinned him lhat night by the light of a tire 

 Of light wood. The skull, with two broken fangs, a paw 

 and the claws, are in my cabinet now, and they are ready 

 to vouch for ibis story, even as the man was willing to 

 show Ihe pen he Wrote the letter wilh. My first shot hud 

 broken two of his fangs and the second hail broken a fore 

 leg. besides wounding him internally. 



The panther is a cowardly animal, and will not al tack 

 man. This refers to the Southern panther — but instances 

 arc well authenticated where it has followed women and 

 children, evidently with murder in its heart. Indeed, 1 re- 

 member now an' incident related by a settler, of a negro 

 child being devoured by a panther, " but cannot recall the 

 locality ol the occurrence. They are fond of hogs, how- 

 ever, and will often risk considerable 10 capture a good 

 porker— a rarity, by the way, in Florida. The day be- 

 fore my arrival "at the Kissimniee Kivcr a panthei came up 

 to a settler's cabin in broad daylight, and carried off a full 

 grown sow, the mother of a large family, before the eyes 

 of the settler's wife and children. The' next day dogs were 

 gathered and a hunt instituted that resulted in Ihe death of 

 I lie panther, a huge eight- looter. 



Near Fort Drum,' in the interior of Florida, panthers 

 have been very troublesome of lale years, anil are often 

 killed there. That ihey will kill dogs, 1 have the testimony 

 of an old guide and hunter, Who described lo me an "acci- 

 dent" happening to his dog upon the very place we were 

 then camped. He said he was camped there, had his mos- 

 quito bar pitched and had gone to sleep. Something, he 

 knew not what, awoke him'," just in time lo see a dark, body 

 lea;' over his bar and pounce upon ihe clog. There was 

 a short struggle, and Ihcn Ihe worthy guide was minus a 

 good dog. He didn't take part In the fight, but was a quiet, 

 if not disinterested, spectator. 



Sometimes they will manifest the utmost contempt for 

 man, and will seem to take delight, in keeping him in sus- 

 pense. An old "live oaker" told me that lie came upon 

 two panthers in a narrow trail and that they walked ahead 

 of him- to the shore of the river where one of them sat 

 down and refused to move. Upon his companion throwing 

 a "chunk of light wood" at il, it merely stalled a little ami 

 snarled in a way that Convinced Ihe two live oakers that it 

 "wasn't goin' lo stan' no nonsense." They left him there. 

 Another live oaker, a chopper, was engaged in squaring a 

 fallen tree, when a lull grown panther came up and quietly 

 carried away his dinner, which lay upon the other end of 

 the log. This act, though very" gracefully and daintily 

 done, so alarmed the man thai he dropped his axe and ran 

 into camp, a mile or more. But the panther devoured his 

 dinner. Fkkd Bevkhlt. 



lt'or Fnrt'«r mat Slrrain. 



SPORTS IN TEXAS— TURKEY HUNT- 

 ING BY MOONLIGHT. 



HAVING been sent after a load of corn to Tyns bend, 

 Red Hiver, where we would have to slay over night, 

 II. and I placed our guns in the wagon and drove like Jehu 

 to get there in time. logo hunting. Arriving some two 

 hours before night, and mine host not being in, we shoul- 

 dered our guns and marched down a deep ravine lo Bed 

 River bottom. After-starting several deer withoul getting 

 a shot, we started back, traveling single tile up the ravine, 

 C, in the advance. Suddenly turning nn angle, we came 

 upon a flock of wild turkeys", and almost instantly C.'s rifle 

 broke the silence of twilight, and a nice gobbler was But- 

 tering on the ground. Hastily reloading, we advanced but 

 a little distance, when C. dropped his Turkey and brought 

 his rifle to his face. Then turning to me he said — 



"Must I shoot V 



I replied, "I see nothing." 



"There, across the gully; don't you see that object?" 



"Yes, shoot!" 



Bang goes C.'s rifle again. The small white object, that 

 had been partly obscured, now became clearly Visible, and 

 it was evident that Chad missed. I huw brought old 

 Spitfire lo a poise and fired. From the movements of the 

 little animal, I was sure my shot had taken effect. Hurry- 

 ing to the spot, C. said— 



"Well! isn't it pretty?" 



"Yes; what is it?" 



"I don't know; what do you say?" 



"I don't know; unless it's a poleeal. Il looks like ihe 

 picture of one." 



"Pshaw!" said C, "I have seen many a polecat in T — , 

 but they were not half se^big as this. We'll have its hide, 

 any how." 



Abont this time the stranger, made some struggles, and 

 C. commenced stamping on it with his heel. Suddenly 

 were our olfactories saluted wilh ascent that sent us off 

 as fast as our legs could carry us, C. crying out — 



"It is a poleeal ; we won't skin it, will we?" 



On arriving at the house we found our friend Ma, who, 

 on hearing of our adventure, exclaimed, '•Green from the 

 States," a term commonly applied to persons not tip to all 

 Texas tricks. After supper. Me. said — 



"Well, now get your gnus, and we'll go down in the bot- 

 tom and kill some'lurkeys." 



This idea was quite novel to me— killing turkeys wilh a 

 rifle by moonlight. The fact Is, I doubled killing one l.y 

 moonlight myself, and thought best to let -Me. and C. have 



the first shot. The moon was not quite full, and just a! t 



the right height for shooling. And just lure Twill stale 

 that not only I, but almost every man on the bolder of 

 Texas, feels "a strange, Still feeling at hchnUing the lull 

 moon, for he knows thai by the light of almost c. et 

 Ihe stealthy savage assails the sleeping frontiersman. But 

 I digress. 



We had not traveled far till Ale. pointed Upward and 

 whispered, "There Ihey are." On lo. iking in the tops of 

 some tall oaks 1 saw two dark objects Uilernblyplnin. iMc 

 and C. already had their rules pointed, an.il thought I 

 would try iny luck at a venture. So I raised ray gun, and 

 bang, bang. Thump, thump, came the two turkeys. 



Now ensued a quarrel between C. and 1 as to vytl iki 

 one of the turkevs, which was only settled upon ('. finding 

 that his guu haduot been fired. We now hunted but little 

 longer, as we had about as much as we wished lo carry. 



Ill this same locality, some hoys inwle.l a learned divine, 

 recently from the Stales, to accompany litem. Of course 

 the gentleman accepted the invitation. They soon found f| 

 tree lull of buzzards, and very generously tendered him 

 Ihe lirsl shot. Imagine his chagrin at killing an innocent 

 buzzard, and the iio.s crying, "Green from the Stales." 



Texas. 

 counts, TeiW, Oeloam' %Wi, 1874. 

 ■♦»•» 



Fur Fmv.i/ and stream. 



A RUN THROUGH COLORADO. 



; _ 



YOU have among your city readers many business men, 

 who, like myself, however fond they may he of 

 wood and water sports, can only get away from 'their of- 

 fices for two or three weeks of each season, and for their 

 benefit you may publish, if you think it worth while, a 

 plain account of my recent trip to the Middle Park of Col- 

 orado. They need look for no angling or hunting exploits. 



I did not take my gun out of its case and fished less than 

 three hours. It' was not because game was scarce, Ihe 

 spirit unwilling, or the flesh weak. It was my first visit to 

 the W est, and each day's novel sights moved me to keep 

 moving. I owe to the" feathered and ant lend game, whose 

 favorite resorts I made myself acquainted with, an apology 

 1 hope to present neXl Summer in person, anil to many a 

 noble trout a line that cannot be dropped by mail. 



Leaving New York id 7 F. il. Saturday September 12th, 

 by the Krie Railway, in a Pullman car that look ils pass- 

 engers to St, Louis without change, I reached Denver at 

 fi.ab P. M. of Wednesday. Ohe 1 S first ride over the plains 

 of Kansas and Colorado can never be forgotten. I passed 

 three hours of the earliest daylight, on" ihe platform of 

 the car, in wondering gaze'nt ihe boundless sea-like ex- 

 panse and watching the animals disturbed by oar noisy 

 iron horse, recognizing the hare, gopher, prairie dog, wolf 

 and antelope. The view from Denver of the Rocky Mouti- 

 talus, is very imposing. I look the Colorado Central next 

 morning for Golden, seventeen miles distant, at the loot of 

 the mountains, where the Clear Creek Canon debouches. 

 Here we changed to the narrow gauge branch of the mij 

 and our train wound up along and across ihe creek, through 



