The Bear and Panther.
We left Walter Wallace asleep on the banks of the Callicoon. How long
he would have slept, we cannot say, had it not been for an unlooked-for
event. The day was just dawning. The silver streak of morning had lit
up the eastern sky, when Walter, in a half-waking, and half-dozing
condition, thought he felt Rolla by his side. He placed his paw on him
and partially turned him over. Then he run his nose along and smelled his
body. Then came a fierce growl. This brought Walter to his feet. A sight
met his eye calculated to strike terror to the heart of an old hunter.
At his feet stood two young cubs, while at a distance of about twenty
feet, perched on the limb of a large tree, was a large sized panther,
and at the root of the tree, stood a large black bear, the mother of the
cubs at his feet, looking intently at the panther. As Walter raised, the
bear turned one quick glance at him, but instantly turned her eye on the
panther. Walter did not know what to do. It was the panther that he was
afraid of. He had been told that a bear would not molest a person unless
they attempted to injure her cubs. It was evident that the bear was
watching the actions of the panther, and caring but little for him. He
therefore concluded to make friends with the bear by patting her cubs.
Gently stooping down, he fondled the cubs. They seemed to have no fear of
him, and played about him like two kittens. Now and then, the bear would
cast a wistful eye at him, as much as to say “protect my young.” Just
then the panther gave a spring and landed on the limb of the tree under
which Walter and the cubs lay. The bear instantly jumped to the spot, but
paid little or no attention to him.
It now occurred to Walter that he had his father’s gun with him.
Casting his eye to the ground he saw it. He immediately raised it to his
shoulder, and taking steady aim across a small sapling, aiming directly
between the panther’s eyes, fired. The panther fell. No sooner had it
touched the ground, than the bear grasped it, and in an instant, its
bowels were torn from its body.
During the encounter between the panther and the bear, the bear kept up
a continual growl. But as soon as the panther was dead, the bear was
as cool as if nothing had happened. Walking quietly up to her cubs,
she took one of them in her mouth, and carried it to the panther, then
she returned and got the other. Young as the cubs were, they seemed to
understand what their mother meant, and immediately commenced to lap the
panther’s blood. The old bear then approached Walter, and smelled him all
over, and then returned to her cubs, and in a few minutes walked off, and
was seen no more by Walter. Still, he was at a loss what to do or where
to go, and for the first time realized that he was hungry.
The sun was now far up in the eastern sky, and he concluded that he would
take that direction as that would take him to Peenpack. Reloading his
gun, he threw it across his shoulder and started for higher ground in an
easterly direction.
He had proceeded but a short distance, when he heard a voice say in plain
English:
“North! North! A little further north!”
This both pleased and frightened him, and jumping upon a large log,
and looking in the direction from which the sounds proceeded, to his
astonishment, he saw a man standing behind something that had three legs,
waving his hands. Looking in the direction that the hand indicated, he
saw another man holding a flag. On the top of these legs was something
that glittered in the sun like gold. The man that stood behind it would
look down at it, and then at the flag. In looking a little further back,
he saw ten or twelve men, some of them on horses, some with axes and some
drawing a long, light chain. He was amazed at the sight, not knowing
whether to hide or run. He heard a slight noise behind him, and turning
around, stood face to face to some kind of a being. He knew not what it
was. It looked just like a man, only it was jet black, curly hair and
pearly-white teeth. He thought it must be the devil that his mother had
told him about, but he failed to see the forked tail. In his fright he
sprang from the log and ran towards the white man.
Indian! Indian! cried the devil behind him.
Instantly the whole party was in commotion, and the men on the horses
raised their guns.
Who? Where? What is it? cried the man at the three legged object.
Here, Massa, here! cried the black, at the same time seizing Walter by
the coat.
This soon brought the whole party to the spot where the negro held
Walter. Webb saw at once that his supposed enemy was but the stripling of
a boy, and a white boy at that.
Who is it with you? pleasantly asked Webb.
No one; Walter replied in a mild and mannerly way.
No one? said Webb, that can’t be, boy, you are fifty miles from any
habitation, you are a stool pigeon for the Indians!
Stool pigeon, sir? I don’t know what stool pigeon is, I have not seen any
Indians.
Are you alone?
Yes.
Where is your father?
I haven’t got any; he was drowned yesterday in the Callicoon.
Webb at once became interested in the boy, and said:
Sit down, and tell us all about your father and mother, and how they came
to get drowned.
Walter began where his recollections commenced, and gave a history
of his family; where they came from; their living on the Callicoon;
the water-spout; the breaking of the beaver dam; his parents being
hurled into the mad, wild Callicoon, and closed his narrative with the
description of his encounter with the bear and panther.
Webb, though of a rough exterior, had a kind and sympathizing heart.
I believe you, boy, I believe every word you say, and promise you a
protector until a better one is provided. When did you have anything to
eat last?
Nothing, sir, since yesterday morning.
Here Sambo, (addressing the black,) said Webb, get this boy something to
eat.
That I will, in right quick time, too, replied the black. If dat dere
little kid eat as fast as he run, he git on de outside of a bear in no
time. Golly, Massa, he jump twenty—thirty—forty feet in no time. He took
me for de debble. O golly! golly! I wonder if I look like his satanic
majesty? I suppose so; ha! ha! ha! Well, come dis way, buck; I’ll stuff
dat skin of yours so full dat it bust; Golly, no dinner, no supper, no
breakfast. I kinder guess dat his belly feels kinder lank.
Stop that jargon, said Webb. The boy can’t live on nigger talk. Take him
to the kitchen.
Yes, Massa, I’ll take him to the kitchen, in right quick time, and show
him to de cook. Come along buck.
That ain’t his name, said Webb. Call him Walter.
Come along den Water dis way. Dis darkey stuff your skin like a Christmas
turkey. Come den, quick, quick come.
Sambo lead the way, and Walter followed. After going about a mile, they
came to a small flat in a hollow, near which was a spring of cool water.
Near the spring was a large log house. Sambo conducted Walter into the
house, and spread before him venison and corn bread, which he devoured
with an appetite. Then they returned to the surveying party.
Now, said Webb, can you find the way back to where you shot the panther?
Oh yes, replied the boy. It is just down the hill there, can’t you hear
the water roar?
The whole party now started, and in a few minutes was at the scene of the
encounter. There laid the panther, the largest of his species.
Webb set the men at work to take off his hide, while he and Walter went
to see the destruction caused by the water-spout the day before. Not
a vestige of either house was to be seen. The beaver dam was dry, the
cleared land was washed and gone down the stream. A cat, and a cat only,
was left to tell the tale.
On a tree, standing on a small island formed by the washout of the day
before, lay a large white cat. The sight of this cat brought to Walter
recollections of the great loss he had sustained, and the tears rolled
down his cheeks.
Was that your cat? remarked Webb.
Yes, sobbingly replied Walter. That is my Amy. Kit! kit! kit! Come here.
The cat heard and recognized the voice, and a moment later, was in
Walter’s arms. He fondled her and talked to her in such a way that Webb
was convinced that there was something besides the cat that affected him.
Never mind, my boy, you may take the cat with you to the camp and keep it
for a playmate. I suppose that this was the only thing you had to love in
your wilderness home?
No, replied Walter. I had another playmate that I loved, and the cat is
named after her. Yes, Amy Powers was just as pretty, good and kind as
this kitten.
And then he sobbed as if his heart was broke.
I think, said Webb, that as young as you are, that Cupid has shot an
arrow that has lodged where you will never get rid of it.
Cupid? said Walter, I don’t know what Cupid is.
I mean, remarked Webb, that you have fallen in love with the namesake of
your cat; and if she was as loving, gentle and confiding as the kitten
you hold in your arms, you are not to be blamed.
It is a great deal to have the kitten, she will always keep my memory
fresh for Amy.
Never mind, boy; you will grow older, and will find some other girl that
you will love, and forget Amy.
Forget Amy? he replied; No, Mr.——, I don’t know your name. You don’t
know me. No, I never will, I never can forget my Amy. And I here and now
swear, in the presence of my God and my desolate home, never to forget
her! I further swear never to love another!
Good, bold and generous boy, exclaimed Webb. You know nothing of the
world, and but little of yourself.
I know myself well enough to know that I shall never forget my first and
only love.
(See Note A in Appendix)