CUYOTE SIEGE. 



139 



by the approach of man : — the following is 

 nearly in the words of the narrator : — 



"The tigre was treeM, Don Jorge, and the 

 cuyotes were about fifty in number, and they 

 kept continually walking round and round 

 the tree where the panther was sitting, utter- 

 ing now and then a fierce growl. I saw this 

 in the forenoon," said the Indian, "from a 

 high tree which I had climbed up in search 

 of honey ; and towards sunset I mounted 

 the same tree, and the tigre was still there, 

 with the cuyotes under the tree ; but only 

 about half the number, as the others had 

 most likely gone in search of food, but at 

 sunset they returned and took the others' 5 

 places, who then took their departure. I 

 went to my rancho, and at sunrise was again 

 at my post, for I was very curious to see 

 how it would all terminate : the tigre and 

 the cuyotes were still there, but the smell 

 even where I was was horrible ; and if I 

 could smell it so strong, what must the tigre 

 have done, who was only a few feet above 

 it ; at last he took a leap into the middle of 

 the pack, and though he killed and disabled 

 a few, he was soon pulled to pieces. " 



I cannot vouch for the truth of this strange 

 story of a siege, but have often heard it 



