The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-05-08
THE HOUNDS OF THE JUNGLE

"Why were you frightened last
night ?" I said to Manuele az we sat
by the campfire.
81 heard the coyotes moving" he
answered, sand I knew there was
danger. You see, they are not, like
other beasts, afraid of fire /; wild and
untamable as the creatures now are,
they have not forgotten the Instincts
of their forefaihers. Coyotes know
well enough that there's food of some
sort to be found in camp, and so they
cluster round it at night; and the
larger your fire the more coyotes
Ayl there's cause for fear when one
is alone and the pack is out. They're
worse than tigers or cowardly pumas,
though there are few who believe it.
They come sneaking mp through the
black glades, noiseless and silent, and
they squat round on their launches,
and their eyes shine like stars. They
wait and watch, and viii not be driv
en- off. You shoot one, but others
come. They sit like ghosts, like pale
devils, round your fire, never stir
ring, never taking their shining eyes
from off your face. All. tell you.
senor, it is terrible to be beset by
COYOTES! Hour by hour they sit
there, just out of reach, in 9 circle
about. : 1t is a nightmarel From
very weariness you doze of, and,
waking with horrid start. you shout
to see how near the devils have crept.
AS you spring up, they slink back
again, and take the former ring, lick
ing their foxy jaws. but making no
sound. And you-you rush at them,
and they glide away, and vanish on.
the instant in the black underground.
But, as yOu return, they come forth
again, they sit down again, and stare
with never q wink in their eyes IT
is very terrible, senorT' said Man
uele, whose gaze was fixed in front,
as if detailing a horrid memory.
"Has such an adventure happened
to you them ?' ] asked.
'Si. senor, once-pray the saints
may never have such q night again !!
1 was up in Segevis, where had
been washing gold. was camping
sll by myself in the forest, journey
ing toward one of the streams OF the
Wanx, for my comrade had taken all
our dust to Segovia Diejo to ex-
change for many things we wanted,
and was to meet me up the river; SO
1 was by myself. Atthat tine--and
it's not so long ago-I should have
laughed, like yourself, had any one
warned me against the dogs, or told
me there was danger to be feared
from them. And yet / had lived in
the woods all my life. Jaguars and
pumas and leopards were the only
beasts 1 should have been afrsid TO
meet at night, against them, one
can, in q manner, protect oneself by
lighting q big fire. To coyotes ] had
never given thought, though they
are in great plenty about those parts
swell, 1 was camping all alone, as
I said, travelling toward Wanx. At
sundown, one day, found myself in
a deep old wood, such as are not com.
mon on the hills. 1t was more like
one of those great forest by the river
bottoms on the plains. The ground
was black and oozy underfoot, the
lower growth scsnty, the iianas thick
as q mans waist. Just the place for
tigers to breed in. thought, if there
be any carib ruins near, or any cav
erns. But it was growing dusk, and
there was no time to lose. l he'd q
calabash of water and provisions, 90
it seemed best to risk the tigers rath-
er than run chance Of losing one
self. So, / built a fire and cooked
some schar quiz and lay down under
a tree. 1t was about midnight
Iawoke, reused by warm breath upon
nv face. / sprang 70 my feet just
lin time to catch glimpse Of some
big pale beast, vanishing round the
trunk. I looked about. In q circle
round the fire, just as I have describ
ed, sat dozen huge crestures, press
ling almost into the blaze, and staring
: at me with big eyes that shoue lik'
emeralds. y .s,,s -.
"They were scarce six feet from me
t For moment. while the start lasted
! II faneled I was still dreaming; ba
pretty soon I'recognized these unex
o lpected guests, and laughed aloud
Only q pack Of coyotes! / took
stick and SHE'D it ct the nearest. /
hit him hard, hut he made no sound
only moved back q few inches.
Z ran at them with my machete, an,
they glided of into the darkness, .