of an Orchid Hunter 



:o; 



as they ripen they become detached and fall to the 

 ground. Every night a large quantity fall, providing 

 food for the peccaries, tapirs, and the domesticated 

 pigs of the settlement, which come through the night 

 to feed upon them. The first night nothing came 

 near me but a few of these animals. About midnight 

 the jaguar took a pig away from one of the huts. I 

 could hear it squeal as it was being borne into the 

 forest. The second ni^ht I changed mv situation ; 

 this time a fox and several tiger-cats came close to 

 me, but the jaguar did not appear. The nights were 

 lovely ; I wish it were possible to describe a moon- 

 light night in a tropical forest, but this must be 

 experienced to be understood. The third night 

 several smaller animals visited me, and a splendid 

 jaguar crossed the open space where I was hidden. 

 I could see the beautiful spots on the skin ; but I did 

 not fire, in hopes that the animal would come nearer 

 to spring upon the bait. In this I was disappointed — 

 no doubt, the quick sense of smell which the jaguar 

 possesses warned him there was danger — and I was 

 obliged to take the boat down the river the next day 

 without being able to add another jaguar's skin to the 

 nine I had already. 



On the river-steamboats it is very difficult to carry 

 orchids safely, on account of the space for cargo being 

 in such close proximity to the boilers, and the heat 



