ITiyERAIiY. XIX 



a sign to all coming on later — for there are always a good many 

 stragglers, who may be out of sight — that those ti-dils Avere barred. 

 It might not^be always necessary, but it was always done to save 

 mischance. 



The path across to the descent to the river was very irrngnlar : 

 sometimes up or down steep ridges, under high forest or quite low 

 open scrub, over i-ocky ledfres and broken debris with or without the 

 very tiresome network of 1-are roots destitute of soil below, and across 

 creeks or tlirough swamps lineu with a rank growth of plantt« like 

 marantas. canuas, and wild ginger. 



On tlie return journey through this jungle the roar of the jaguar 

 was often heard, the anin als being attracted by the hunting-dogs, 

 which the Indians accompanying us held for security on a leash. Our 

 gtiides told us that our party was too large to be tjoidded, but with 

 two or three people dogs were sometimes carried off by prowling 

 jaguars, the animals dashing across the path and seizing the dogs, 

 even when led on the string. At night the dogs were never left on 

 the gi'ound, but put high up on rough wooden stages made for them. 

 If they strayed singly they were done for. their security in hunting 

 Iving in the fact of theie bting several of tlitm together, and one is 

 always stiuck by the nunilier of them usuidly found about tie settle- 

 ments in a state of senii-starvatioi'. where witli fowls and pigs — as on 

 the great .savannahs where a few of the latter have been introduced — 

 they will even devour tiie excrement of the settlement. The>e large 

 cats seem to have a sti-ong taste for dogs, and they will pi owl at night 

 around the large clay-wattled houses on the open savannahs when dogs 

 are within, even clawing the strongly-posted dour, made of haid--v\ood ; 

 though one would think they would choose in.stead to break thiough 

 tlie wattling. It may be tb.at the scent of the dogs is much stronger 

 through the interstices of the door. 



It is peculiar that while jaguars are thus dangerous to dogs singly 

 or running in single file, three or four exjeiienctd do^s luinting 

 together in a group, with loud 1 arking, can always drive tbem ujt a 

 tree, if there be one f'T refuge. This is how a noted jaguar hunter in 

 Berbice u.^ually secured his object when cattle had Veen killed or 

 calves carried ofl" from the farms. It was easy then to shoot the beast 

 np the tree. 



Where the low open shrubby growths occurred on the rocky parts. 

 Cozier assured us was just the kind of place where tlie cock-of-the-rocks 

 would have their dancing-ground, and where their ne.»;ts would be 

 found. He had often seen them on the Merume !N[ountains proper. 

 The vegetation varied much from this shrubby character in places to 

 what may more correctly be described as short stunted tiees. with 

 thick fstems and open short branches, mostly heavy with small eja- 

 phvtes ; and there were many of these amid more .shrubby growtlis. 

 We made search for a short time at a few of these places, both going 

 and coming back, and though we came upon neatly tro<lden spaces we 

 found no nests. Their .»jeason wa.s earlier in the year. In other places 

 where the forest was higher, Cozier and the Indians could quite «niickly 

 bring these birds overhead by imitating their sharp cry, "Quank, 

 quauk," when they bad heai-d them in the distance; and the birds 



