96 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE TAPIR. — THE JAVALINO. THE PIG SIEGE. THE 



SIEGE RAISED. ANECDOTE. 



The largest of the indigenous natives of 

 the forest in Central America is the tapir, 

 called by the Indians " Dante. " 



As most large zoological associations pos- 

 sess one, there would be little use or profit to 

 the reader in describing him ; but it may be 

 as well to mention a few of his habits and 

 nature of haunts. 



A full-grown tapir in his native forest is 

 a much larger animal than any I have ever 

 seen in a state of captivity ; he is about the 

 height and length of a large donkey, but 

 much more massive, with very short legs. 

 His habits are generally solitary, and he 

 seems to delight in wandering about alone, 

 at least for the greatest part of the year. He 

 seldom rests near one spot for any length of 

 time ; indeed, were he to take up his resi- 

 dence near any spot cleared for maize, he 

 would soon be hunted down, as no fence can 

 withstand his weight and strength ; and they 



