WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 237 



us, and that he was close to the side of the river. 

 Unfortunately, the Indian said it was not a jaguar 

 that was roaring, but a couguar. The couguar is 

 of a pale, brownish red colour, and not as large 

 as the jaguar. As there was nothing particular 

 in this animal, I thought it better to attend to the 

 apparatus for catching the cayman than to go in 

 quest of the couguar. The people, however, went 

 in the canoe to the place where the couguar was 

 roaring. On arriving near the spot, they saw it 

 was not a couguar, but an immense jaguar, stand- 

 ing on the trunk of an aged mora-tree, which 

 bended over the river; he growled and showed 

 his teeth as they approached; the coloured man 

 fired at him with a ball, but probably missed him, 

 and the tiger instantly descended, and took off 

 into the woods. I went to the place before dark, 

 and we searched the forest for about half a mile 

 in the direction he had fled, but we could see no 

 traces of him, or any marks of blood; so I con- 

 cluded that fear had prevented the man from tak- 

 ing steady aim. 



We spent best part of the fourth night in try- 

 ing for the cayman, but all to no purpose. I was 

 now convinced that something was materially 

 wrong. We ought to have been successful, con- 

 sidering our vigilance and attention, and that we 

 had repeatedly seen the cayman. It was useless 

 to tarry here any longer ; moreover, the coloured 

 man began to take airs, and fancied that I could 

 not do without him. I never admit of this in any 

 expedition where I am commander ; and so I con- 

 vinced the man, to his sorrow, that I could do 

 without him; for I paid him what I had agreed 



