(JAMB, AND MODE OF PRESERVING. 421 



to some hiding-place, and on one occasion, the first part of the 

 " Gazza ladra" was realised in a respectable house in the colony. 



A servant had been severely reprimanded on account of some 

 missing plate, and her reputation even called in question ; the 

 articles were, however, found a few months after, in some holes, 

 where a squirrel had concealed them. 



The deer, agouti, pecari, lapo, and cachicame, the two latter 

 particularly, are very fine game. The flesh of the deer is rather 

 dry, except, however, when the animal is young and fat, par- 

 ticularly the doe. The agouti may be said to be flavourless, and 

 never fat. The pecari when young and fat, is an excellent dish, 

 as is also the cachicame : the manati is excellent eating, either 

 salted or fresh. 



As it is difficult to preserve meat for any length of time, in 

 our climate, those who make hunting an occupation, adopt the 

 following plan. The bones of the animal are disjointed, the flesh 

 deeply incised, and sprinkled with salt ; the flesh is next laid on a 

 boucan a sort of stage made of green sticks, resting on four 

 posts about three feet above the ground a slow fire is then 

 kindled beneath, and the carcase thoroughly smoked ; the flesh 

 thus prepared is dry, tough, and unsavoury ; though that of the 

 lapo and cuenco are, in this state, sold at high rates. The taste 

 is not very unlike that of hung beef. 



Tatous and lapos are taken in traps, the latter more frequently, 

 as they generally follow the same beaten track to get at their food. 

 This track once discovered, a falling trap, composed of heavy 

 logs, is carefully disposed along the passage, and rarely fails to crush 

 or retain the animal. Another very dangerous method is the 

 following ; a gun is set as it is said by being fixed on a couple 

 of rests, and a twine attached to the trigger, also connected with a 

 bait at the muzzle, commonly an ear of maize ; when the lapo, 

 or any other animal, attempts to gnaw or disengage the corn, it 

 necessarily pulls on the trigger, and generally receives the con- 

 tents in the head. Not a year passes during which some person 

 is not dangerously wounded, and sometimes killed, from the 

 setting of such unlawful snares. The most common method, 

 however, is the chase, in which the best dogs for tatous and lapos, 

 are the pointer, the terrier, arid our common breed, some of 

 which are capital hunters, especially those crossed with the 

 Gruarmmo races. I have no doubt, however, that the basset 



