The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-11-06

that l could not mistake--a long,
hoarse roar, that I had heard many
time in the forest at night, and
never heard without feeling my heart
stand still. Then the thought struck
me: oh, heaven-the jaguarl'
"Dios de mi dln,ul l shall never
forget that moment! For one minute
I was quite sick and helpless, as if
all the life had been struck out of me
at one blow, and then a thought
flashed upon me. There was no keep
ing the jaguar out, for most Of the
doorways were only hung with cur
tains; but in the store-room close by
there was huge wooden corn-chest,
nearly empty, and big enough to hold
six or seven people at once. If Lolita
and I could only get in there, 1
thought, we might be saved yet!
$50 snatched up the child, ran
with her into the store-room, and
crouched down in the chest. Unluclli-
ly it closed with a spring-lock, so
that 1 had to keep the lid slightly
open with my left hand, to avoid be-
ing shut down and stifled outright;
but it had an overlapping edge sew
eral inches long, which quite covered
my fingers.
81 was not moment too soon.
Hardly had I got fairly settled in my
hiding place when I heard the great
claws scraping the floor, and the hun
CRY sniff as the jaguar quested
about in search Of food. He came
straight to the chest, and there stop
ped short a moment as if suspecting
trap. Then he put his head close to
the narrow opening, so that l could
feel his hot breath on my face, and
shifted once or twice to satisfy him
self, and then tried to force the lid
up with his paw!
"Ay de mi! how I trembled! but,
thank God, the great paw would not
go into the little chink. All he
could do was to get his tongue in and
lick my fingers, making them bleed
as if they had been rasped with saw.
And then, what with the taste Of blood,
and what with hearing Lolita crying
inside (for she, poor darling, was as
much frightened as I was), his fury
was reused, and he began to roar,
not an honest, deep-mouthed, lion
roar, but sharp, snarling yell that
made my blood run cold Ugh! I
can't think how I didn't die outright; !;
but the touch of Lolita's little arm,
clinging round my neck, seemed to
give me courage.
"But the worst was still to come.
Finding that he could not reach me
from below, he sprang on the top Of
the chest, crushing my hand between
the lid and the upper edge Then I
thought all was over, and gave a
scream that made the whole house
ring.
"My scream was answered by a
sound that made my heart leap-the e
distant cry of a bloodhound! The
iaguar heard it, too, for he leaped
down and stood listening a moment,
and then ran to the door, as if to es-
cape.
"There 1t was again-much nearer
and with 1t the voices Of men call
ing to each other. They were coming
back. Meanwhile the jaguar seemed
to get bewildered, and ran wildly up
and down the inner gallery.
Suddenly there came loud shout
at one of the windows, and then two
shots and frightful yell; and then
my husbands voice, strained to its
loudest, 'Cachita! where are you?'
"I just managed to crawl to the
door and let him in, and then I faint
ed outright.
"They told me afterward that our
bloodhound had struck the trail OF
the jaguar leading straight toward
the house, and then they all set off to
run like madmen, fearing some harm
to me. My husband and Jose dis.
tanced the rest, and came up just in
time to shoot the beast through the
window; but he told me afterward
, that when he saw it rushing about
| inside, he felt like one under the col
| lar of the garotte (the instrument oi
eXecution).
| "As for my hand, 1t was so crushed
} that couldn't stir joint of it fol
, weeks after. The Indians doctoreC
it for me, and they tell me I shall
, have the use Of it again by-and-by
1 but I don't need that to remind ma O.
t that day. If I live thousand years
3 l shall never forget it'll"