The panther plunged into the water not more than eighteen or twenty yards from me, and had it been but one third of that distance, I feel convinced I should have been unheeded by this animal, so intent was it on the destruction of the bear. It must indeed be an extraordinary case which will make a panther plunge into water, as it is a great characteristic of the feline species always to avoid water, unless driven to it, either by necessity or desperation; but here nature was set aside, and some powerful motive predominated in the passions of this animal, which put all laws of instinct at defiance, and unlike the clumsy bustling of the bear through the water, the panther went with bounds of ten feet at a time, and ere the former reached the opposite shore, the latter was midway of the stream. This was a moment of thrilling interest, and that feeling so common to the human breast, when the strong is combating with the weak, now took possession of mine, and espousing the cause of the weaker party, abstractedly from every consideration which was in the wrong, I could not help wishing safety to the bear, and death to the panther. Under the impulse of these feelings, I once more brought my rifle to my shoulder, with the intention of shooting the panther through the heart, but in spite of myself I shrunk from the effort. Perhaps it was well I reserved my fire, for had I only wounded the animal, I might have been a victim to its ferocity. So soon as the bear found there was no possibility of escape from an issue with so dreadful an enemy, on reaching the opposite bank of the stream, it shook the water from its hair like a dog, and ran about fifteen feet on the bank, and lay directly on its back in a defensive posture; this it had scarcely done when the panther reached the water’s edge, and then, with a yell of vengeance, it made one bound, and sprang, with outstretched claws and spitting like a cat, immediately on the bear, which lay in terror on the ground, ready to receive its antagonist; but the contest was soon at an end. Not more easily does the eagle rend in sunder its terror-stricken prey, than did the enraged panther tear in scattered fragments the helpless bear; it appeared but the work of a moment, and that moment was one of unrelenting vengeance; for no sooner did the panther alight on its victim, than with the most ferocious yells, it planted its hinder claws deep in the entrails of the bear, and by a few rips, tore its antagonist in pieces. Although the bear was full grown, it must have been young and in want of energy, for it was so overcome with dread as not to be able to make the least resistance.