THE JAGUAR. 40 



r. 



The same man, on another occasion, clove the skull of a 

 second jaguar with an axe with which he was about to fell 

 some trees. 



The jaguar, however, is capable of being tamed. The well- 

 known Captain Inglefield possessed one, afterwards placed in 

 the Zoolofdcal Gardens. It was so tame that he used to lie 

 down and place his head on its body as on a pillow. It was 

 allowed to roam at liberty about the ship. It was remark- 

 able, however, that this creature could never be trusted when 

 a young child or a dog was present. On such occasions it 

 became greatly excited, endeavouring to break away from the 

 chain with which it was secured when on shore. Probably 

 in its native wilds both would have fallen victims to its natural 

 ferocity. 



The Bishop of Demei-ara witnessed an instance of the way 

 in which these savage creatures may occasionally be tamed, 

 while on an expedition up the River Demerara. On approach- 

 ing the falls, he and his party halted at an Indian settlement 

 on the left bank, where they saw a young jaguar only a few 

 weeks old, which appeared to be extremely savage when any 

 of them went near it. " But," he continues, " never did I 

 observe such apparent gentleness and attachment in any 

 animal ; as, when one or two of our party had certainly not 

 gone the way to win the creature's affections, it allowed it- 

 self to be drawn close to us by an Indian woman, and after- 

 wards by a little child. Not a moment before, it was as 

 angry and savage as could be ; but no sooner did the child 

 draw it towards her, than, looking up with an expression of 

 intelligence and trustfulness quite new to me, it nestled itself 

 within the embrace of its kind protectress." 



The Indians are proverbially famous for the facility with 



20 B 



