FEROCITY OF THE PUMA. 13 



feline animal the New World affords. It is seldom 

 this creature visits the settlement at Cape St. 

 Lucas, though he holds his lair in its immediate 

 neighbourhood, amidst the bush of the plains, 

 or, more commonly, on the surrounding heights. 

 The residents relate many instances of his at- 

 tacking man, and even human dwellings. But a 

 short time before our visit to this place, a wo- 

 man, residing in the settlement, had left her 

 house at night to draw water from a well, when 

 finding in her path a deer, which had been re- 

 cently killed by a puma, she imprudently took 

 possession of the carcase and drew it into her 

 hut. The puma returned soon after to his prey, 

 and scenting the spot to which it had been con- 

 veyed, broke through the thatch roof of the 

 dwelling, and before he could be put to flight 

 destroyed two children and lacerated the woman 

 severely. An Indian, also, employed on a farm, 

 distant about fifteen miles from the bay-settle- 

 ment, had recently been attacked by a puma 

 while he was at work in the jungle. The man 

 defended himself courageously with a knife and 

 succeeded in destroying the savage beast, but 

 subsequently fell a victim to the injuries he re- 

 ceived in the conflict. Notwithstanding these 

 accidents, the people have but little dread of 

 this creature ; and pursue their journeys through 



