182 
THE JAGUAR. 
tact with this animal; and on one occasion 
it carried off a large dog which had accom¬ 
panied them in their travels. In proof of 
the statement that the jaguar has no par¬ 
ticular fondness for human flesh, he tells 
the story of a little Indian boy and girl, 
who were sitting on the grass of a safannah, 
or natural meadow, near the village of 
Atuces, when a large jaguar came bound¬ 
ing from the neighbouring forest and began 
playing with the children. His frolics, which 
were very gentle at first, began to grow 
rather rough; and at last he struck the little 
boy so hard upon the forehead as to draw 
blood. Upon this the little girl took up 
the branch of a tree and struck the animal, 
which ran off without doing them any fur¬ 
ther injury, and seemingly as good-natured 
as ever.” 
“That was very singular,” remarked 
Richard. 
“ Animals often take such freaks,” replied 
Miss Winston. “ Sometimes it has hap¬ 
pened that a lion has killed in succession 
three or four dogs which have been put 
into his den for companions to him, and 
then taken a violent fancy to a fifth, which, 
