THE DEATH. 117 



fore-paws, and, after a few choked groans, ex- 

 pired : his couched form as he stiffened would 

 have made a beautiful model for the sculptor. 



Another spear having been cut and set, 

 the little dogs were called up, and laid on the 

 trail of the pantheress and cub, but on ar- 

 riving at the edge of the thicket, she was 

 discovered lying on her side, about two yards 

 beyond, stone dead ; she must have received 

 a mortal wound from one of the two barrels 

 that were fired at her^ and was hit in the 

 neck close to the head ; so no wonder she 

 did not respond to her mate's call for rescue; 

 had she been alive, though badly wounded, 

 she would have done so. Though the ca- 

 chorro was hunted till nightfall, neither man 

 nor dog could find a track or trace of him, 

 and he most likely escaped by getting into 

 some hollow tree, as there were many about. 



The party then returned to relieve the 

 poor living ox from his unpleasant situation, 

 which could not have been done before, as 

 there was no body to do it. He was led 

 down to the stream, and the quantity of 

 water he drank shewed the feverish state he 

 must have been in from fear and exertion, 

 and the way he kept close to the habitation 

 of man for some time afterwards shewed 



