A FEW BIG CATS 27 



less. No available thing could make him even 

 loosen his deadly hold, although the keepers 

 got an iron scraper, a hardwood pole over ten 

 feet long, and any other tools they could find 

 on such short notice. 



Everything was done that could be done 

 with such a treacherous and savage brute; 

 he was prodded in the face, beaten sharply 

 over the head, and on his feet. He simply 

 shut his eyes tightly and held on to his vic- 

 tim with more force and determination than 

 before. He tried to get away once by raising 

 himself, and carrying the now dying jaguar 

 to the other side of the cage, just as a cat 

 would carry a kitten. 



A whole minute or more passed before he 

 would let go, and then the young jaguar 

 dropped heavily and limply to the floor, 

 where she died in a few minutes. There was 

 a terrible time in getting the body out, for 

 'Lopez proved himself to be one of the most 

 1 villainous and savage brutes ever seen in cap- 

 tivity, and one or two of the men ran some 

 heavy risks, but, when it was finally taken 



