16 HUNTING ADVENTURES. 



on the plain, that the viceroy was quite astonished, and com- 

 manded the greater part of them to be set at liberty, which was 

 accordingly done. The number retained, however, was still 

 incredibly great, were it not attested by a witness of the highest 

 credit. On this occasion upwards of six hundred deer and wild 

 goats, one hundred cajoles, with a surprising number of hares, 

 rabbits, and other smaller animals. The plain still retains the 

 Spanish name Cazadero, which signifies the place of the chase. 

 The Mexicans had also particular contrivances for catching cer- 

 lain animals. Thus, to catch young asses, they made a small fire 

 m the woods, putting among the burning coals a particular kind 

 of stone named cacalottl, i. e. raven or black stone, which bursts 

 with a loud noise when heated. The fire was covered with 

 earth, and a little maize laid around it. The asses quickly 

 ^assembled with their young, in order to feed upon the maize ; 

 but while they were thus employed, the stone burst, and scared 

 away the old ones by the explosion, while the young ones, unable 

 to fly, were carried off by the hunters. Serpents were taken even 

 by the hands, seizing them intrepidly by the neck with one hand, 

 and sewing up their mouths with the other. This method is still 

 practised. They showed the greatest dexterity in tracing the 

 steps of wild beasts, even when an European could not have 

 discerned the smallest print of their feet. The Indian method, 

 however, was by observing sometimes the herbs or leaves broken 

 down by their feet ; sometimes the drops of blood which fell from 

 them when wounded.' Some of the American Indians show still 

 greater dexterity in discovering the tracks of their e T >'nies, which 

 M an European would be altogether imperceptible 



