As I crept with hands and feet along my imperfect bridge, a sudden gust
had nearly whirled me into the frightful abyss below. To preserve
myself, I was obliged to loose my hold of my burden, and it fell into
the gulf. This incident disconcerted and distressed me. As soon as I had
effected my dangerous passage, I screened myself behind a cliff and gave
myself up to reflection. The purpose of this arduous journey was defeated by the loss of the
provisions I had brought. I despaired of winning the attention of the
fugitive to supplications, or arguments tending to smother remorse or
revive his fortitude. The scope of my efforts was to consist in
vanquishing his aversion to food; but these efforts would now be
useless, since I had no power to supply his cravings. This deficiency, however, was easily supplied. I had only to return home
and supply myself anew. No time was to be lost in doing this; but I was
willing to remain under this shelter till the fury of the tempest had
subsided. Besides, I was not certain that Clithero had again retreated
hither. It was requisite to explore the summit of this hill, and
ascertain whether it had any inhabitant. I might likewise discover what
had been the success of my former experiment, and whether the food,
which had been left here on the former day, was consumed or neglected. While occupied with these reflections, my eyes were fixed upon the
opposite steeps. The tops of the trees, waving to and fro in the wildest
commotion, and their trunks, occasionally bending to the blast, which,
in these lofty regions, blew with a violence unknown in the tracts
below, exhibited an awful spectacle. At length, my attention was
attracted by the trunk which lay across the gulf, and which I had
converted into a bridge. I perceived that it had already somewhat
swerved from its original position, that every blast broke or loosened
some of the fibres by which its roots were connected with the opposite
bank, and that, if the storm did not speedily abate, there was imminent
danger of its being torn from the rock and precipitated into the chasm. Thus my retreat would be cut off, and the evils from which I was
endeavouring to rescue another would be experienced by myself. I did not just then reflect that Clithero had found access to this hill
by other means, and that the avenue by which he came would be equally
commodious to me. I believed my destiny to hang upon the expedition with
which I should recross this gulf. The moments that were spent in these
deliberations were critical, and I shuddered to observe that the trunk
was held in its place by one or two fibres which were already stretched
almost to breaking. To pass along the trunk, rendered slippery by the wet and unsteadfast by
the wind, was imminently dangerous. To maintain my hold, in passing, in
defiance of the whirlwind, required the most vigorous exertions. For
this end it was necessary to discommode myself of my cloak, and of the
volume which I carried in the pocket of my cloak. I believed there was
no reason to dread their being destroyed or purloined, if left, for a
few hours or a day, in this recess. If laid beside a stone, under
shelter of this cliff, they would, no doubt, remain unmolested till the
disappearance of the storm should permit me to revisit this spot in the
afternoon or on the morrow. Just as I had disposed of these encumbrances and had risen from my seat,
my attention was again called to the opposite steep, by the most
unwelcome object that, at this time, could possibly occur. Something was
perceived moving among the bushes and rocks, which, for a time, I hoped
was no more than a raccoon or opossum, but which presently appeared to
be a panther. His gray coat, extended claws, fiery eyes, and a cry which
he at that moment uttered, and which, by its resemblance to the human
voice, is peculiarly terrific, denoted him to be the most ferocious and
untamable of that detested race. [Footnote: The gray cougar. This animal has all the essential
characteristics of a tiger. Though somewhat inferior in size and
strength, these are such as to make him equally formidable to man.] The industry of our hunters has nearly banished animals of prey from
these precincts. The fastnesses of Norwalk, however, could not but
afford refuge to some of them. Of late I had met them so rarely, that my
fears were seldom alive, and I trod, without caution, the ruggedest and
most solitary haunts. Still, however, I had seldom been unfurnished in
my rambles with the means of defence. My temper never delighted in carnage and blood. I found no pleasure in
plunging into bogs, wading through rivulets, and penetrating thickets,
for the sake of dispatching woodcocks and squirrels. To watch their
gambols and flittings, and invite them to my hand, was my darling
amusement when loitering among the woods and the rocks. It was much
otherwise, however, with regard to rattlesnakes and panthers. These I
thought it no breach of duty to exterminate wherever they could be
found. These judicious and sanguinary spoilers were equally the enemies
of man and of the harmless race that sported in the trees, and many of
their skins are still preserved by me as trophies of my juvenile
prowess. As hunting was never my trade or my sport, I never loaded myself with
fowling-piece or rifle. Assiduous exercise had made me master of a
weapon of much easier carriage, and, within a moderate distance, more
destructive and unerring. This was the tomahawk. With this I have often
severed an oak-branch, and cut the sinews of a catamount, at the
distance of sixty feet. The unfrequency with which I had lately encountered this foe, and the
encumbrance of provision, made me neglect, on this occasion, to bring
with me my usual arms. The beast that was now before me, when stimulated
by hunger, was accustomed to assail whatever could provide him with a
banquet of blood. He would set upon the man and the deer with equal and
irresistible ferocity. His sagacity was equal to his strength, and he
seemed able to discover when his antagonist was armed and prepared for
defence. My past experience enabled me to estimate the full extent of my danger. He sat on the brow of the steep, eyeing the bridge, and apparently
deliberating whether he should cross it. It was probable that he had
scented my footsteps thus far, and, should he pass over, his vigilance
could scarcely fail of detecting my asylum. The pit into which Clithero
had sunk from my view was at some distance. To reach it was the first
impulse of my fear, but this could not be done without exciting the
observation and pursuit of this enemy. I deeply regretted the untoward
chance that had led me, when I first came over, to a different shelter. Should he retain his present station, my danger was scarcely lessened. To pass over in the face of a famished tiger was only to rush upon my
fate. The falling of the trunk, which had lately been so anxiously
deprecated, was now, with no less solicitude, desired.