A Female Tapir op Unusttal Size, 
131 
P>21. It .was wliilo wo woro rounding one of tlie bonds that to our 
threat joy wo saw a ta])ir witli lior vounjH' wading along one of the many 
sandbanks at the water's edge: hardly had the word "Maipuri" escaped 
tlie iips of our Indians, tlian tlie animals also recognised us, made their 
escape, and disappeared in the dense vegetation along the bank. Just as 
quickly as they darted away, we pulled to the shore, which we reached 
almost at the same time, and ruslied after tliem with gun, bow and arrow. 
As we got through the foi-est belt we noticed that both the fugitives were 
trying to seek cover in the (> to 7 foot high cutting-grass and reed that 
covered a boundless ])biiu. (Mir pack of dogs was in the third boat 
slowly coming up behind, an* we ICuropc ans stood nonplussed in front of 
this dangerous palisade for whieh, from previous ex]»erience, we had a 
holy respect. Our Indians however c<^»uld not restrain themselves but 
disappeared like snakes in between the awful grass. Two shots, closely 
following one anothei', and the triumphant yelling of the huntsmen, 
notified us of their luck. Everyone making a rush in tlie direction, the 
l)ath consequently ])roved less risky for ws and we soon came upon both 
hunters, resting on their weapons, standing in front of the older beast 
just killed. When the flesh was being cut up, it was seen that Pureka's 
bullet had pierced the lung. It was a female of unusual size. NVe were 
still crowded round (he welcome quairy when a wild rush through the 
grass and reeds indicated the approach of the hounds who greedily licked, 
the sweat off the beast. A hunt ^\as now made for the young one, the 
trail of which was soon found by our excellent dogs. Directly the 
frightened creature saw itself discovered it let out a piercing shriek, but 
we could see nothing until its shrill cries showed that it was making for 
the edge of the high grass, for the o]»(mi savannah, and we therefore 
hastened as quickly as we could to a rising ground close 1<y, where we could 
see what was taking place. We had barely reached it than the animal 
broke into the open, followed by the yelping hounds, while keeping pace 
with tluMu were oui' thirty Indians, whose shouts and yells almost 
drowned the barking of the dogs and the terrified cry of the beast. It was 
a strange sight, a chase such as T had never seen before. The powers of 
the hunted creature evidently liegan to wane, and now brought to bay 
by our grand hunting-dog ToAvanau, its feet wer-e tied by the Indians after 
a good deal of strong but useless opi^osition, and so carried back to the 
boat amidst deafening rejoic'ings and still noisier yel]>ing. It was the 
size of an almost full-grown pig. In colouration, it differed markedly 
from the older animal which was a dark grey with blackish-grey mane 
whence white stripes ran along the back: the younger had a light grey 
ground colour with a 'quantity of white siK>ts dotted over the four- feet, and 
several yellowish white longitudinal lines on the flanks. 
?>22. Although coin]iaratively early in the day we pitched camp on 
the sandbank, so as to smoke our unex])(M'ted booty. As to the youngster, 
which still proved refi'actory. we deter-mined uiion sending it Imck to 
Warima, to have it tamed, and on our retuin take it on to (Jeor-getown, 
and later to Euroyie. Under l^^tOckle's sujterintcndence it left withii^ 
half an hour for its tem])orary destination, 
