ADVENTURE WITH A JAGUAR. 217 
who go into the water, and with its sharp triangular 
teeth often tears considerable portions of flesh from 
their legs. When pieces of meat are cast into the 
river, clouds of these little fishes appear in a few 
minutes. There are three varieties inthe Orinoco; one 
of which seems.to be the Salmo rhombeus of Lin- - 
neus. At noon they stopped ina desert spot called 
Algodonal, when Humboldt left his companions and 
went along the beach to observe a group of crocodiles 
sleeping in the sun. Some little herons of a white 
colour were walking along their backs, and even on 
their heads. As he was proceeding, his eyes directed 
towards the river, he discovered recent footmarks 
of a beast of prey,~and turning toward the forest, 
found himself within eighty steps of an enormous- 
ly large jaguar. Although extremely frightened, 
he yet retained. sufficient command of himself to 
follow the advice which the Indians had so often 
given, and continued to walk without moving his 
arms, making a large circuit toward the edge of the 
water. As the distance increased he accelerated his 
pace, and at length, judging it safe to look about, 
did so, and saw the tiger in the same spot. Ar- 
riving at the boat out of breath, he related his ad- 
venture to the natives, who seemed to think it no- 
thing extraordinary. In the evening they passed 
the mouth of the Cano del Manati, so named on 
account of the vast number of manatees caught there. 
This aquatic herbivorous animal generally attains 
the length of ten or twelve feet, and abounds in the 
Orinoco below the cataracts, the Rio Meta, and the 
Apure. The flesh, although very savoury and re. 
sembling pork, is considered unwholesome ; but it 
is in request during Lent, being classed by the 
