We wanted to start off immediately, but she insisted on our partaking of
some food, which she and Oria set to work to prepare.

As we were anxious to know whether a canoe could be procured, we spent
little time over our repast, and again set off along the bank of the
igarape. We inquired at each of the huts we passed about a canoe, but
Duppo invariably shook his head, to signify that he could not hear of
one. Still we went on, searching in every spot where he thought a canoe
might be concealed. After some time, finding a tree bending almost
horizontally over the water, we climbed along it for some way, that we
might get a better view up and down the channel. Arthur was the
outermost of the party. "Why, what can that be?" he exclaimed. "See
there!" and he pointed up the canal. There, bending over the trunk of a
large tree, which hung much in the same manner as the one we were on, I
saw a huge jaguar. Its claws seemed ready for immediate action. Its
eyes were evidently fixed on the surface of the water.

"It is fifty yards off. It is looking out for a cow-fish, as was the
one we saw the other day," whispered Arthur.

We told John, who was coming along the trunk, what we had seen.

"We will let it catch the cow-fish first, then, and perhaps we may kill
both creatures," he observed.

While he was speaking, the creature darted out one of its huge paws, and
drew it back again with a fish hanging to it. Instantly the fish was
torn to pieces and transferred to its jaws. We waited till the jaguar
had begun to watch for another, and then crawling along the tree, made
our way towards it. John and I got our guns ready, hoping to kill the
beast before it had discovered us. Just as we got near, however, it
having caught another fish in the meantime, its eyes fell on us. Rising
to its feet, it stood for a moment as if doubtful whether or not it
should attack us. I lifted my rifle to fire, but at that moment the
animal gave a bound and darted off through the thick foliage, amid which
it was hid from sight. We looked about, expecting to see it returning,
but it had probably satisfied itself that we were too formidable enemies
to attack. We found some of the fish it had been eating on the trunk of
the tree, and the remains of several others near it, which showed that
it had been successful in its sport.

While searching round the tree Duppo gave a shout of satisfaction, and
hastening up to him, we found a small ca