GAME, AND MODE OF PRESERVING. 363 



nibbles books, cloth, &c. I know an instance of a female deer, 

 which grew so tame, that it was allowed to roam at large about 

 the neighbouring plantations, and became large with young; 

 it was unfortunately shot one night, and, being dangerously 

 wounded, ran to its mistress as for aid and protection ; but it 

 died a few days after, bitterly regretted by the young lady, who 

 had taken great pains in rearing it. The squirrel can be easily 

 tamed also, but it will carry off anything it can lay hold of 

 to some hiding-place, and on one occasion the first part of the 

 " Gazza ladra" was realised in a respectable house in the colony. 

 A servant had been severely reprimanded on account of some 

 missing plate, and even her reputation for honesty called in 

 question ; the articles were, however, found a few months after, 

 in some holes, where a squirrel had concealed them. 



The deer, agouti, pecari, lapa, and cachicame, the two latter 

 particularly, are very fine game. The flesh of the deer is rather 

 dry, except, however, when the animal is young and fat, par- 

 ticularly the doe. The agouti may be said to be flavourless, and 

 never fat. The pecari, when young and fat, is an excellent dish, 

 as is also the cachicame : the manati is excellent eating, either 

 salted or fresh. 



As it is difficult to preserve meat for any length of time in 

 our climate, those who make hunting an occupation adopt the 

 following plan. The bones of the animal are disjointed, the 

 flesh deeply incised, and sprinkled with salt ; the flesh is next 

 laid on a boucan — a sort of stage made of green sticks, resting on 

 four posts about three feet above the ground ; a slow fire is then 

 kindled beneath, and the carcase thoroughly smoked; the flesh 

 thus prepared is dry, tough, and unsavoury ; though that of the 

 lapa and cuenco are, in this state, sold at high rates. The taste 

 is not very unlike that of hung beef. 



Tatous and lapas are taken in traps, the latter more frequently, 

 as they generally follow the same beaten track to get at their food. 

 This track once discovered, a falling trap, composed of heavy 

 logs, is carefully disposed along the passage, and rarely fails to 

 crush or retain the animal. Another very dangerous method is 

 the following : a gun is set — as it is said — by being fixed on a 

 couple of rests, and a twine attached to the trigger, also con- 

 nected with a bait at the muzzle, commonly an ear of maize ; 

 when the lapa, or any other animal, attempts to gnaw or disen- 



