HUNTING THE JAGUAR 25 



destroy it. My camera films were put up in tins 

 and sealed; then again put in a tin box, all of 

 which were wrapped up and kept in my canister. 

 This is the only way to get results with any de- 

 gree of certainty in a tropical country of this 

 kind. 



I spent two or three days with Mr. Spence 

 while I was preparing for my trip up in the 

 "bush." It was a most delightful and interest- 

 ing visit. I listened with much interest to Mr. 

 Spence's many encounters with the jaguar. He 

 had spent the greater part of his life in the 

 colony, was now in his sixty-second year and had 

 taken advantage of the opportunity to hunt and 

 observe the great cat. The "Old Shikari," as 

 Mr. Spence was called locally (meaning "Deer- 

 foot"), had several fine lusty -looking children, 

 but I was much surprised when I noticed that 

 some of their fingers and toes were missing. 

 Upon inquiry I found that they had been bitten 

 off by the dreaded "caribi" or "perai." This 

 fish, usually not more than fifteen inches in 

 length and similar in conformation to our black 

 bass, has most powerful jaws, armed with large, 

 razor-cutting teeth. In appearance these are not 

 unlike the front teeth of a human being, except- 

 ing that the edges are extremely keen. When the 



