long lances, and a number of sturdy-looking
dogs very unlike our own high-bred animals--which, being unfit for the
purpose, were left behind under the charge of their keepers.

We proceeded some distance through the forest, the dogs advancing in
regular order like riflemen skirmishing, so that there was no chance of
a jaguar being passed without their discovering him. After keeping on
for about a couple of miles, the dogs stopped and began to bay loudly;
whereupon the old Indian told us to halt, with our arms ready for
action, while the lance-men moved forward. The dogs, encouraged by
their masters' voices, continued to advance; and we soon caught sight of
a jaguar thirty yards in front of us, seated on his haunches, prepared
for fight. Several of the more daring dogs now sprang forward, but two
paid dearly for their boldness; for the jaguar striking them with his
huge paw, they soon lay dead at his feet. The Indians now allowed the
dogs to attack the jaguar. Taught wisdom by the fate of their
companions, however, they assaulted him in the rear, rushing in on his
haunches, biting him, and then retiring. This continued for some time.
Although the jaguar saw the men, he had first to settle with his canine
enemies; and the efforts he made to keep them at a distance apparently
considerably exhausted him. The Indians then shouted and threw sticks
towards him, in order to irritate him and make him spring upon them; and
having got up to within twenty yards of him, they next presented their
lances in such a position that, when he might spring, they would receive
him on the points. Suddenly he began to move; then he sprang, moving in
a semicircular line, like a cat and uttering a tremendous roar. The
lance-men kept their bodies bent, grasping their lances with both hands,
while one end rested on the ground. I thought that the jaguar would
have killed the man at whom he sprung, but the Indian was strong of
nerve as well as of limb, and the point of his lance entered the
jaguar's chest, when the others immediately rushed forward and
despatched the savage brute with their weapons.

Old Quamodo told us how it sometimes happens that a hunter unfortunately
fails to receive the jaguar on his lance; and in many instances he is
torn to pieces before he can be assisted. His only resource on such an
occasion is his manchette, or long knife,--by means of which, if he can
stab the jaguar, he may possibly escape. Quamodo also narr