COUGAR. 
safety, this extraordinary combat between ani 
inals so terrible, and obnoxious to man/' 
When the Cougar, impelled by that ardent 
thirst which seems perpetually to consume it, 
comes down to the river'^s side, and begins to 
drink, the crocodile-, which makes no distinc- 
tion in it's prey, lifts it's head above water, to 
seize the animal ; whicli, not less rapacious 
than it's assailant, and unapprized of the 
strength of the enemy, boldly ventures to 
plunge it's claws into the eyes of the aggres- 
sor. The crocodile, thus seized in it's only 
vulnerable part, instantly dives under water ; 
and the Cougar, having fixed it's claw^s, being 
as unwilling to relinquish it's hold as it's ex- 
istence, descends with it's antagonist. There 
the combat continues, till the Cougar is 
drowned, as is sometimes the case, or escape x 
from it's disabled adversary. 
When the French first settled at Cayenne, 
the infant colony suffered greatly from the de- 
vastations of the Cougar; but, by degrees, it 
was so repelled and destroyed, that this animal 
is no longer found in the vicinity of that 
