an angular embayment
between two projecting buttresses of rock, where he stands cowering and
trembling.

They are about to approach him, going cautiously and with timid steps,
when, lo! on a ledge between, they perceive a long yellow body with
black spots lying astretch at one end of it, a pair of eyes giving back
the light of their candle, with a light almost as brilliant, and at
intervals flashing like fire. It is the jaguar.

The sight brings them suddenly to a stand, even causing them to retreat
a step or two. For the ledge on which the _tigre_ crouches is directly
between them and Cypriano's horse, and to approach the latter they must
pass right under the former; since it is upon a sort of shelf, several
feet above the level of the ground. They at once see there is no hope
of reaching the needed ammunition without tempting the attack of the
tiger; which, by their movements, is becoming at every moment more
infuriated, and already seems about to spring upon them. Instinctively,
almost mechanically, they move further away, having abandoned the idea
of defending themselves with the guns, and fallen back on their only
other weapons, the knives. Ludwig counsels retreating altogether out of
the cave, and leaving their horses behind. Outside, the wind no longer
rages, and the dust seems to have blown past. They but hear the
pattering of rain, with peals of thunder, and the swish of the stream,
now swollen. But nothing of these need they fear. To the course
counselled Cypriano objects, as also Caspar; fearing for their horses,
almost sure to be sacrificed to the fury of the enraged jaguar. And
where would they be then? Afoot in the midst of the Chaco, helpless as
shipwrecked sailors on a raft in mid-ocean!

For a while they remain undecided; only a short while, when they are
made aware of that which speedily brings them to a decision, and without
any will of their own. In putting space between themselves and the
dangerous beast, they have retreated quite up to the cavern's entrance.
There, looking out, they see that egress is debarred them. The stream,
swollen by the rain, still pouring down as in a deluge, has lipped up to
the level of the cave's mouth, and rushes past in an impetuous torrent,
crested, and carrying huge rocks, with the trunks and broken branches of
trees upon its seething current. Neither man nor horse might dare ford
it now. They are caught between a torrent and a tiger!

CHAPTER T