ready announced my arrival. The
family came under the portico to welcome me, and simultaneously asked me
what could have detained me so long. "I have caught the robbers,"
replied I, approaching the group, "I have killed them and lost two dogs;
here are my _spolia opima_."

My host was thunderstruck; he was too much of a hunter not to be able to
estimate the size of the animals by the tokens I had brought with me,
and he had believed that for the last twenty or thirty years, not one of
these terrible animals was actually living in the country. The fact was
so very remarkable, that he insisted on going himself that very night
with his negroes to skin the animals; and, after a hasty meal, he left
us to fulfil his intentions. Relating my adventures to my kind hostess
and her niece, I had the satisfaction of feeling that my narrative
excited emotions which could only arise from a strong interest in
my welfare.

This panther story got wind, and nothing could convince the neighbouring
farmers but the very sight of the skins. All the western newspapers
related the matter, and for two months at least I was quite a "lion."

A few days after that adventure, the _Caroline_, the largest and finest
steamboat upon the Mississippi, struck a snag in coming down the stream,
and sank immediately. The river, however, being very low, the upper
decks remained above water, and help coming down from the neighbouring
plantations, all the passengers were soon brought on shore without any
loss of life. Three hundred sheep, one hundred hogs, eighty cows, and
twelve horses were left to their fate, and it was a painful sight to
witness the efforts of the poor brutes struggling against the powerful
current and looking towards the people on shore, as if to implore
for help.

Only one pig, two cows, and five horses ever reached the bank of the
river, many disappearing under the repeated attacks of the gar-fish, and
other monsters, and the remainder carried by the stream to feed the
alligators and the cawanas of the south. But very few objects on board
were insured, and hundreds of hogsheads of Missouri tobacco and barrels
of Kentucky flour were several days afterwards picked up by the Arkansas
and Tennessee wreckers. Articles thus lost by shipwreck upon the
Mississippi are seldom reclaimed, as the principal owners of the goods,
on hearing the news, generally collect all the property which they can,
run away, change their names, and enter upon new s