214 



MIDDLE STATES. 



IS here called, with equal impropriety, a pheasant, while the quail of New England here receives 

 the more correct appellation of partridge. Prince Charles Bonaparte calculates the number 

 of summer birds which are met with in the State of Pennsylvania alone, at sixty, most of 

 which are, however, common in New England. The mocking-bird is, however, scarcely found 

 nort'' of the Middle States. The not less celebrated canvass-back duck, although known at 

 the north, generally under other names, here only acquires the delicacy of savor, which gives 



limbs felt invigorated, and my speed was superior to any 

 of the former d;tys. 1 continued so for nearly thirteen 

 miles, and then came witliin sight of the wolf. He was 

 then but two hundred yards in advance of me, and he had 

 yet two miles further to go, before he could leach the moun- 

 tain, and this through open wood. Hp used every exer- 

 tion to quicken his pace, but in spite of his efforts I gained 

 on him. I had run but one mile since I got sight of him, 

 and when 1 was within forty yards of liim, he looked be- 

 liind at me, and, seeing no possible chance of escaping, 

 dropped his tail between his legs, and stopped ; I ran with- 

 in twenty yards, and shot a ball immediately Ihrougli his 



body, — he fell, and rose again; crack went Capt. W 's 



rifle, and down he dropped dead. In a moment my foot 

 was on his neck, but we were at a loss to express our joy, 

 — we were in llie midst of an extensive forest, and we 

 knew not where ; we charged our rifles, and gave foiu- 

 rounds, in commemoration of the four days' chase. Our 

 difficulties were not yet at an end, for we were determined 

 to take him home ; we accordingly cut a small stick, and 

 twisted one end, fastened it to his upper jaw, and, while 

 one carried the rifles, the other dragged \um on the snow. 



" It appeared, on examining the wolf, that 1 had struck 

 him on the flank the day previous, when I fired at him, to 

 about the depth of the ball, cutting the flesh, but not so 

 as to retard his progress. We cojitinued dragging him, 

 and followed down a small branch, which, we were con- 

 vinced, would either lead us to the Delaware, or Susque- 

 hanna. After proceeding about eight miles, we cajue to a 

 farm-house, occupied by a Mr. Sawyer ; he soon recognis- 

 ed us, and, seeing us dragging a wolf, asked if we had the 

 ' three-legged wolf.' ' and when we answered in the allirma- 

 tive, says he, ' I will hold a day of rejoicing, for I have but 

 few sheep left fmm last winter, as he then killed nine, and 

 eight of them were my best ewes, and I suppose iie came 

 here for more mutton. Tell me,' continued he, ' what I 

 can do for you, and it shall be done.' We asked him if 

 he would take us in his sleigh toward our home, or until 

 we could find some of our neighbors that would take us 

 ihe balance of the way. We were then eighty miles from 

 our village of deposit, in a direct line, and he without 

 /lesitafion agreed to do so. 



The number of persons assembled at Walton, out of 

 curiosity, was about one hundred, to see the result of the 

 chase, as every farmer appeared to be deeply interested in 

 the destruction of this wolf; and making a calculation we 

 fjund, that the number of persons assembled there alone, 

 liad had sheep destroyed by him to nearly the amount of 

 one thousand dollars. When, therefore, they saw our suc- 

 cess, it appeared as though they could not do too much for 

 us ; they escorted us home with fifteen sleighs a distance 

 of thirty miles, and our fame resounded through the whole 

 country." 



Encounter with a Panther. We only give the latter 

 part of this account, which relates the manner in which 

 two hunters killed a panther, after they had traced him to 

 a cave in the rocks. The scene occurred in the State of 

 New York, about one hundred miles north of Philadel- 

 phia. 



" We approached the opening, and then the animal retir- 

 ed to the depth of its retreat. Our appearance now excited 

 its displeasure, which was manifested by tremendousgrowls, 

 that made the rocks ring again ; it still seemed unwilling 

 to leave such a place, which offered so much security. We 

 now resolved to try other measures to dislodoe our enemy, 

 and commenced l>> threshing at the aperture with a long, 

 stout pole ; but this failed alike, with the other means we 

 had employed, to rouse it to action. Emboldened at last 

 by its cowardice, we attempted to punch ii. l)at this had 



no other effect than to produce the most appalling growla 

 and spitting, like a cat. Lion liimself seemed sensible of 

 the creatuie's want cf spirit, and was with difficulty re- 

 strained from dashing in to the combat, m which event, 

 his life would have paid the f irfeit, without rendering us 

 any assistance. JJeing convinced, that^nothing would in- 

 duce it to leave its strong-hold, I formed the resolution of 

 shooting it, if possible, in its very den. I requested my 

 friend to stand in readiness to shoot, or let tlie dog in, in 

 case 1 failed or the panther should spring at me. This ar- 

 rangement made, 1 succeeded in getting a small distance 

 into the cave, and after remaining some time, could see 

 perfectly well. I found, however, that there was no 

 chance to shoot it even when so near ; as, instead of get- 

 ting to the extreme end of the den, the panther had con- 

 cealed itself behind a rock, which jutted so much above 

 the bottom of the cave as to shield it completely from my 

 viev.'. The animal's cowardice increased my courage so 

 mucli, that I determined on using every means to destroy 

 it. I requested my companion to procure me a long pole 

 to punch it with. My plan was to lay niy rifle parallel 

 with the pole, and the moment the panther seized the end 

 with his mouth, to fire, and then to shoot him directly in 

 the head ; and should I be unsuccessful, and the panther 

 make a rush, I was to fall flat on my front, provided I 

 could not get out in time and let him run over me to es- 

 cape. My friend, who was a bold man, and a first rate 

 shot, was to kill it as soon as it appeared ; or if the pan- 

 ther stopped to give me battle, was to let the dog in and 

 seize it, and thus give me a chance to retire. I knev/ this 

 was the only mode ; for, were I to present any obstacle to 

 the animal's progress, so that it could not conveniently 

 pass, my life would pay the forfeit for my so doing; but 

 I had good reason to doubt its courage, and therefore felt 

 no alarm tor my safety. My friend iiaving procured the 

 pole, 1 put my plan into operation ; the first push I made 

 roused the anger and ferocity of my enemy, and convinc- 

 ed me, that nothing but cowardice on its part saved me 

 from utter destruction. The cave echoed and trembled 

 with his growling. The panther seized the end of the 

 pole with so much fury as to bend it over the rock, and 

 still keep its head from my view. So long as I tried to 

 pull the stick the animal kept a firm hold ; but the mo- 

 ment I ceased pulling it also relaxed its hold. The actions 

 of this creature were so quick, that it was impossible to 

 direct an aim at it with any degree of certainty ; and on 

 raising its head to seize the pole the flashes from its eyes 

 were distinct, but so quick were they out of sight that it 

 resembled, more than any thing eke, sparks struck from a 

 flint. So strong was this animal, that with both rn}' hands 

 and utmost strength, I could not pull its head one inch ; 

 after laboring some time in this way I requested my com- 

 panion to procure me a pole stt.cter than the first, so that 

 when the animal seized it he could not press it behind 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 sliot, and, as 

 an hour had elapsed since I entered the den, I determin- 

 ed, at all hazards, to fire. Possibly 1 might hit, — eight 

 chances out of ten were in my favor of doing so ; or that, 

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

 mouth of the cave. Under these impressions 1 thrust the 

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

 seized, leveled my rifle, and fired; at the next instant I 

 made a .spring at the opening ; iny feet slipped on the ice, 

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

 who was on the alert, seeing my fall, and apprehensive 

 lest the panther had seized me, let Lion loose ; he sprang 

 over me in an instant and made an attack upon the com 



