Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

The Olympia Courier of November 25th relates this:

While a party were engaged in catching salmon in North Bay, on Saturday last, an enormous panther was discovered in their vicinity, leisurely swimming across from an island to the main land.  The party were destitute of any implement wherewith to deal summarily with him, yet the love of adventure prompted a demonstration upon him.  One of the gentleman seized a stick which lay in the boat to which was attached a sharp point, and with it commenced an onslaught upon him.  This had the effect to exasperate the animal, when he turned upon the boat — a dilemma unlooked for by the party — causing a sensation more easily felt than described.  The stick was again resorted to and thrust into the panther’s mouth, but hie jaws immediately closed upon it, and held it so tight that extrication was impossible.  Recourse was then had to the aboriginal plan of seizing him by the tail and holding his head under water until death ensued.  In this the party were frustrated, as the panther was too heavy, and, wearied with the excitement, the gentlemen were at last obliged to desist and let his majesty go in peace.  Upon reaching the shore he turned round, looked benignly back upon his tormentors, the shook himself and slowly made his way up the bluff.