, where carpinchos are
plentiful, there is little fear of the jaguar; possibly, however, a
jaguar which has tasted human flesh, may afterwards become dainty, and,
like the lions of South Africa, and the tigers of India, acquire the
dreadful character of man-eaters, from preferring that food to all
others. It is not many years ago since a very large jaguar found his way
into a church in Santa Fe; soon afterwards a very corpulent padre
entering, was at once killed by him: his equally stout coadjutor,
wondering what had detained the padre, went to look after him, and also
fell a victim to the jaguar; a third priest, marvelling greatly at the
unaccountable absence of the others, sought them, and the jaguar having
by this time acquired a strong clerical taste, made at him also, but he,
being fortunately of the slender order, dodged the animal from pillar to
post, and happily made his escape; the beast was destroyed by being shot
from a corner of the building, which was unroofed, and thus paid the
penalty of his sacrilegious propensities.

On the Parana they have killed many woodcutters, and have even entered
vessels by night. One dark evening the mate of a vessel, hearing a heavy
but peculiar footstep on deck, went up to see what it was, and was
immediately met by a jaguar, who had come on board, seeking what he
could devour: a severe struggle ensued, assistance arrived, and the
brute was killed, but the man lost the use of the arm which had been
ground between his teeth.

The Guachos say that the jaguar, when wandering about at night, is much
tormented by the foxes yelping as they follow him; this may perhaps
serve to alarm his prey, but must be as teasing to him as the attentions
of swallows are to an owl who happens to be taking a daylight promenade;
and if owls ever swear, it is under those circumstances. Mr. Darwin,
when hunting on the banks of the Uruguay, was shown three well-known
trees to which the jaguars constantly resort, for the purpose, it is
said, of sharpening their claws. Every one must be familiar with the
manner in which cats, with outstretched legs and extended claws, will
card the legs of chairs and of men; so with the jaguar; and of these
trees, the bark was worn quite smooth in front; on each side there were
deep grooves, extending in an oblique line nearly a yard in length. The
scars were of different ages, and the inhabitants could always tell when
a jaguar was in the neighborhood, by his recent aut