MY HAPPY FAMILY. 



67 



The first addition to' my household was what the 

 natives of the West Indies call the " wild dog," which 

 I captured as I was hunting one afternoon along the 

 banks of my river. Seeing a strange animal shuffling 

 along ahead of me, looking for crabs and crayfish, I 

 gave chase and seized it by the tail, just as it was 

 about to plunge over the river bank. It snapped at 

 me, scratched, spit, and growled horribly, but at last 



A pair of Agoutis. 



I succeeded in binding it with Hanes, and getting it to 

 the hut, where I found it to be a raccoon, about two 

 thirds grown. 



At first it gave me much trouble, but eventually 

 became attached to me, and watched for my coming 

 as anxiously as did the parrot. 



