THE TAPIR. 125 



It is related of one, that rather than quit the 

 stream, he allowed himself to be killed with large 

 stones, which the hunter dropped on his head. 



One morning at eight o'clock, at the foot of the 

 Peak of Thoma, on the shore of the Comhaymee, in 

 a place situated at 1,918 metres above the sea-level, 

 and called las Juntas, M. Goudot started up a young 

 female pinchaque, which threw itself immediately into 

 the water. Surrounded by dogs, which for the most 

 part kept to the shore, the animal remained for a 

 long time motionless in the midst of the torrent, 

 confining itself to lifting its trunk now and then 

 above the water, and uttering cries which the 

 noise of the stream and the barking of the dogs 

 almost drowned. The dogs, which, in order to reach 

 it, had plunged into the water above the place where 

 the pinchaque was, were for the most part submerged, 

 but they were not otherwise hurt. The pinchaque 

 came to the top of the water with the greatest 

 facility. A ball passed through its aorta, near the 

 heart. After this mortal blow, it had sufficient 

 strength to cross the stream. 



The flesh of this animal is red, like that of the 

 bear, and is excellent eating. 



