THE PECCARY. 129 



coats bore many a scar of wounds inflicted by the 

 tusks of the peccaries and the formidable claws of the 

 bears. We all advanced towards the spot where the 

 game was supposed to be, whilst Mr. Morgan gave 

 me his advice what to do in case Ave should happen 

 to come upon tlie peccaries. Above all things, he 

 advised me not to resist, but to fly, unless indeed I 

 wished to have my horse hamstrung and my own 

 legs ripped up. I promised prudence, but the 

 joyous cry of the dogs soon dissipated from my 

 mind all fear of the dangerous character of the game 

 which we were about to attack. Presentl}'- we 

 reached some sugar-canes, and our horses could 

 scarcely make a way through the interlacing creepers 

 and vines which blocked up the way. We followed 

 the hounds as well as we could, until presently a 

 terrible roar was heard, far above the barking of 

 the dogs. We knew then that the dogs were on the 

 bear, and each of us took the road which he thought 

 most likely to lead to the scene of action. The 

 horse on which I was mounted dashed through the 

 thickest of the cover, capering about in a manner 

 which required all my skill as a horseman to prevent 

 him from unseating me. The bear was keeping the 

 dogs at bay close to me, but I could not get a 

 glimpse of him, and I could hear him rush by 

 without being able so much as to see him, by 

 reason of the thick curtain of foliage which con- 

 cealed him from sight. At that moment, my horse 



VOL. r. K 



