ick, tough skin, which is employed by the
Indians in making shields, sandals, and various other articles. This is
the more valuable in a country where the thick-skinned and
leather-yielding mammalia are almost unknown.

"Slaying the tapir is no easy matter. The creature is shy; and, having
the advantage of the watery clement, is often enabled to dive beyond the
reach of pursuit, and thus escape by concealing itself. Among most of
the native tribes of South America, the young hunter who has killed a
tapir is looked upon as having achieved something to be proud of.

"The tapir is hunted by bow and arrow, or by the gun. Sometimes the
`gravatana,' or blow-tube, is employed, with its poisoned darts. In any
case, the hunter either lies in wait for his prey, or with a pack of
dogs drives it out of the underwood, and takes the chances of a `flying
shot.'

"When the trail of a tapir has been discovered, its capture becomes
easy. It is well-known to the hunter that this animal, when proceeding
from its lair to the water and returning, always follows its old track
until a beaten-path is made, which is easily discernible.

"This path often betrays the tapir, and leads to its destruction.

"Sometimes the hunter accomplishes this by means of a pitfall, covered
with branches and palm-leaves; at other times, he places himself in
ambuscade, either before twilight or in the early morning, and shoots
the unsuspecting animal as it approaches on its daily round.

"Sometimes, when the whereabouts of a tapir has been discovered, a whole
tribe sally out, and take part in the hunt. Such a hunt I myself
witnessed on one of the tributaries of the Amazon.

"In the year 18--, I paid a visit to the Jurunas up the Xingu. Their
_Malaccas_ (palm-hut villages) lie beyond the falls of that river.
Although classed as `wild Indians,' the Jurunas are a mild race,
friendly to the traders, and collect during a season considerable
quantities of _seringa_ (Indian-rubber), sarsaparilla, as well as rare
birds, monkeys, and Brazil-nuts--the objects of Portuguese trade.

"I was about to start back for Para, when nothing would serve the
_tuxava_, or chief of one of the maloccas, but that I should stay a day
or two at his village, and take part in some festivities. He promised a
tapir-hunt.

"As I knew that among the Jurunas were some skilled hunters, and as I
was curious to witness an affair of this kind, I consented. The hunt
was to come off on