78 A JAGUAR-HUNT ON THE TAQUARY 



staggered to his feet and started on the trail, going 

 stronger with every leap. Evidently the big cat w^as 

 not far distant. Soon we found where it had swum 

 across the bayou. Piranhas or no piranhas, we now 

 intended to get across ; and we tried to force our horses 

 in at what seemed a Mkely spot. The matted growth of 

 water-plants, with their leathery, slippery stems, formed 

 an unpleasant barrier, as the water was swimming-deep 

 for the horses. The latter were very unwilling to attempt 

 the passage. Kermit finally forced his horse through 

 the tangled mass, swimming, plunging, and struggling. 

 He left a lane of clear water, through which we swam 

 after him. The dogs splashed and swam behind us. 

 On the other bank they struck the fresh trail and 

 followed it at a run. It led into a long belt of timber, 

 chiefly composed of low-growing nacury palms, with 

 long, drooping, many-fronded branches. In silhouette 

 they suggest coarse bamboos ; the nuts hang in big 

 clusters, and look like bunches of small, unripe bananas. 

 Among the lower palms were scattered some big ordinary 

 trees. We cantered along outside the timber belt, hsten- 

 ing to the dogs within ; and in a moment a burst of 

 yelling clamour from the pack told that the jaguar was 

 afoot. These few minutes are the really exciting moments 

 in the chase, wdth hounds, of any big cat that wiU tree. 

 The furious bapng of the pack, the shouts and cheers 

 of encouragement from the galloping horsemen, the wil- 

 derness surroundings, the knowledge of what the quarry 

 is — all combine to make the moment one of fierce and 

 thrilhng excitement. Besides, in this case there was 

 the possibihty the jaguar might come to bay on the 

 ground, in which event there would be a shght element 

 of risk, as it might need straight shooting to stop a 

 charge. However, about as soon as the long-drawn 



