JAGUAR-HUNTEU. 185 



Continuing to descend the river, they met with a CHAP. xvr. 

 great herd of chiguires that the tiger had dispersed, and Herdo7 

 from which he had selected his prey. These animals chigmres. 

 seemed not to be afraid of men, for they saw the travel- 

 lers land without agitation, but the sight of a dog put 

 them to flight. They ran so slowly that the people 

 succeeded in catching two of them. It is the largest ot 

 the Glires or gnawing animals. Its flesh has a disagree- 

 able smell of musk, although hams are made of it in the 

 country, which are eaten during Lent ; as this quadru- 

 ped, according to ecclesiastical zoology, is esteemed a 

 fish. 



The travellers passed the night as usual in the open jaguar- 

 air, although in a plantation, the proprietor of which, a ''"^'ter. 

 jaguar-hunter, half-naked and as brown as a Zambo, 

 prided himself on being of the European race, and called 

 his wife and daughter, who were as slightly clothed as 

 himself. Donna Isabella and Donna Manuela. Hum- 

 boldt had brought a chiguire ; but his host assured him 

 such food was not fit for white gentlemen like them, at Hospitality. 

 the same time offering him venison. As this aspiring 

 personage had neither house nor hut, he invited the 

 strangers to sling their hammocks near his own, between 

 two trees ; which they accordingly did. They soon 



spring which he makes, and thus waits until the dog's drive him out ; 

 an exploit which he performs with such coolness and dexterity that 

 there is scarcely an instance of failure. '• In a recent instance, re- 

 lated hy our capitaz, the business was not so quickly completed. 

 The animal lay stretched at full length on the ground, like a gorged 

 cat. Instead of showing anger and attacking his enemies with fury, 

 he was playful, and disposed rather to parley with the dogs with 

 g-ood humour than to take their attack in sober earnestness. He 

 was now fired upon, and a ball lodged in his shoulder; on which he 

 sprung so quickly on his watching assailant, that he not only buried 

 the baj'onet in his body, but tumbled over the capitaz who held it. 

 and thev floundered on the ground together, t!ie man being com- 

 pletely in his clutches. ' I thought,' said the brave fellow, ' I was 

 no longer a capitaz, while I held my arm up to protect my throat, 

 which the animal seemed in the act of seizing; but when I expected 

 to feel his fangs in my flesh, the green fire of his eyes, which blazed 

 upon me, flashed out in a moment. He fell on me, and expired at 

 the very instant I thought myself lost for ever.'" — Captain Ah- 

 lirews^ 'I ravels in South America, vol. L p. 219. 



