TAPIR HUNTING 213 



of a kind to be spoilt by water. Almost immediately 

 after leaving what had very nearly been a scene of 

 disaster, we surprised a large tapir on some rocks in 

 the middle of the stream. * The Pirate's ' dogs sprang 

 overboard, and swimming to the spot forced him into the 

 water. The men paddled vigorously, keeping the boats 

 quite close to him while he headed for the shore, some- 

 times swimming, sometimes diving, and in his terror 

 making frantic efforts to out-distance us. Whenever he 

 rose to the surface the dogs would cling pluckily to his 

 ears, rendering it difficult for me to fire. He was only 

 a few yards from the bank when I got a good chance at 

 the back of his neck, wounding him mortally. He turned 

 right round and swam out into deep water, but his 

 strength was failing fast, and all he could do was to keep 

 his nose above water. The men determined to secure 

 him before he sank. Maite caught him by the ears, 

 ' The Pirate ' made a slit through his snout, and Epifanio 

 deftly passed a piece of rope through it and secured him 

 to the stern of the boat. He was dead when we reached 

 land. 



The cutting up of a tapir's carcase was about the 

 only piece of work over which my men did not waste 

 time or grumble. In this instance the dressing of the 

 meat was performed on a slab of rock close to the river's 

 edge, two of the men standing up to their knees in the water. 

 Attracted by the pieces of offal and clotted blood which 

 floated from the carcase, many large fishes kept darting 

 about, fighting for the dainty morsels. ' The Pirate ' was 

 severely bitten in the calf by one of these fishes. Judg- 

 ing by the howl he gave when the fish mistook his leg for 

 a piece of tapir, and the agility he displayed in getting 

 out of the river, I should say that the Ay?iiara is blessed 



