is legs, and
stood listening, and, as we thought, somewhat alarmed. He seemed to
hesitate a moment, looking around him and down at the fresh-killed
animal. Then, as if suddenly forming a resolution, he buried his teeth
in the throat of the dead peccary; and, swinging the carcass over his
long back, commenced retreating.

"He had made only a few steps, when the noises that had been all this
time growing more distinct were heard upon the very edge of the
underwood; and, the next moment, several dark objects bounded out into
the opening. We saw at a glance they were peccaries. There were twenty
or thirty in all. They had been summoned by the cries of the one that
had been killed. They came from every side, rushing simultaneously
forward, and uttering their shrill grants as they ran.

"They had got between the cougar and trees, before he could reach the
latter; and, in fact, they were upon him on all sides, almost in the
twinkling of an eye. They formed a complete circle around him; and with
their long bristles erected, their gnashing jaws, and shrill notes, they
presented a most formidable array.

"The cougar, seeing that his retreat was cut off--at least, so long as
he carried the carcass--flung off his burden, and leaped upon the
foremost of his advancing enemies, striking it to the ground with his
huge paws. He had not time to turn himself, however, when several
others fastened on him from behind; and we could see the red fur fly
from his sides, torn up by their sharp tusks. Now came the struggle in
earnest. For a short while the cougar kept his antagonists at bay--
striking them down and tearing them with teeth and claws; but at length
the whole herd closed upon him, and we could see the blood streaming
from his torn flanks. He now seemed to fight as if wishing to make his
way through them and escape; but the peccaries, as active as himself,
hemmed him in their midst, surrounding him with a dense mass of bodies
and snapping jaws. Twice or three times, the cougar sprang into the
air--as if to leap beyond the circle of his antagonists--but at the same
time several of these were also seen to rear upward, and intercept him
in the spring. At length, by a desperate effort, he succeeded in
clearing himself; and dashed out from among them, striving to escape.
What was our horror, on perceiving that he ran directly for the tree
upon which we were standing!

"With a feeling akin to despair, I cocked my rifle; bu