JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE. 149 



transfixed with a porcupine's quill ; and, although I 

 did not personally see the quill shot, I saw the dog- 

 lying dead in the same place that it was shot at, with 

 the quill driven about eight inches in, behind the 

 shoulder, and completely drilling a hole through the 

 heart, as it afterwards proved on dissecting the dog. 



It was perfectly impossible that the quill could 

 have been thus forced into the body of the dog with- 

 out being shot at him with very considerable force ; 

 and my friend, who was close by the animal at the 

 moment, asserted that the dog was at least a couple 

 of feet off from the porcupine at the time, and that 

 three or four quills flew off in different directions at 

 the same instant. 



As this is a matter finding more infidels and 

 heretics than true believers, I have thus particularised 

 it, and am ready to uphold my case (by " y e wager 

 of battel," if he chooses) with any sceptical heathen in 

 Christendom. 



The country in the vicinity of Aripo is flat and 

 uninteresting, although in penetrating it to the ex- 

 tent of two or three miles there is no lack of game, 

 such as hares, partridges, snipes, &c. 



Crocodiles poked their noses out of every pool one 

 came across, but they would never attack one, and if 

 a shot was sent at their heads they would merely 

 disappear altogether until the danger was passed. 



Tortoises in dozens used to cross our path, but 

 they were very small and perfectly useless. 



