17° THE ADVENTURES OF 



with a coat of the darkest black, left two or three victims dead 

 upon the ground, and then set up a plaintive mewing. 



This call soon attracted two young ones, which darted at once 

 on the first mole they came to. Each of them seized hold of one 

 side of their prey, spitting just like cats, and trying to tear it with 

 their formidable claws. The mother was obliged to put a stop to 

 the quarrel by an energetic display of authority ; allotting a sepa- 

 rate victim to each of her ferocious offspring ; then she lay down 

 and yawned several times, whilst the young ones were tearing to 

 pieces the bodies of their prey. When they had eaten all they 

 required, the mother gluttonously devoured all that was left, with- 

 out ceasing to watch a third mole, round which the two young 

 carnivora were prowling. Whenever they came near her prey, 

 she gave a growl ; and they seemed to know the meaning of this 

 maternal injunction, for they crouched down to the ground, and 

 drew back, lowering their heads, as if from fear. As soon as her 

 repast was finished, the jaquarete caught up in its mouth the un- 

 touched mole, and made off without noticing us. 



" What do you think of these little ogres?" asked Sumichrast, 

 addressing Lucien. 



" How very pretty they are with their black shiny coats ! They 

 are just like big cats.'' 



" That 's very likely, for cats are their first cousins." 



" Do jaquaretes ever attack men?" 



" No ; but, still, if we had tried to touch her young ones, the 

 mother would perhaps have flown at us." 



" To eat us 1" asked Lucien, opening his eyes very widely. 



" She would bite and tear us with her claws, or otherwise 

 injure us. But, seriously, as a general rule, wild beasts, or 

 carnivora, as the savants call them, are always formidable, and, 

 whatever may be their size, it is unsafe to provoke them. If one 

 of us unarmed had to fight hand to hand with a wild cat, it is 

 probable that he would receive more injury from the contest 

 than the animal." 



Night was now. falling fast; but, fortunately, our fire guided 

 us to our resting-place. When we were yet some distance off, 

 we were amused at seeing the Indian prowling round, or gravely 



