The National tribune., 1897-12-16

and only the end of long days flag
brought us in sight of the place Then our
Indian began. to yell, and forthwith his
tribe poured out and escorted us with bene-
dictions; of which trust few may take
effect.
Immediately on arriving we held a clinic
That was, OF course, necessary, and had
been provided for in the way OF powders
and pills. Everybody, except an old wo-
man who wanted a newgeye, was extremely
satisfied, and when a supper OF pinole and
tasajo-parched cornmeal cruel with
ierked meat-had been dispatched, the
function began This it's actors intended
to do us honor and promote our enterprise.
Ii was one of those dramatic dances old as
humanity; in action. recitative and chorus,
a tumble of Christianity and heathenism
such as one is accustomed to meet with in
all the wilder parts OF Spanish America.
This valley formed a small spindle
shaped depression among rugged hills,
with its long axis lying east and west
The Indian village stood in the latter di
rection, and fronting il on its further side,
ran deep rent, made by earthquake or
strain. That was bridged at its narrowest
point bya large fallen tree, white and dead
Here the tiger crossed and ii is to be un-
derStoOd that from the Rio Grande indefi-
nltely south, a laguaI IS never called by
any other name than this.
BY the time their dreary and discordant
performance came to an end, it became
evident that if the enemy was to be met
with we should start at once. Two young
men were appointed to conduct us, and
having loaded our enchanted guns before
an awestruck crowd, the party set forth.
On our side, the arroyo, which we soon
reached, was set with scattered clumps OF
bushes. Opposite, nothing obscured the
view in front of that dense scrub with
which the mountain buttresses were
clothed.
Having bright moonlight, good cover, the
wind in our faces, and arms like ours,
most sportSmen will agree that the con-
ditionS for meeting so formidable II beast
on foot could scarcely have been more
favorable. Yet as we lay silent and mo-
tionless behind our screens, sweeping the
ground with eager glances, and of course
cut Off from the consolation OF pipe,
there was quite enough danger in the stu
alton TO make it exciting.
No experienced man voluntarily risks a
long shot at an animal that can easily kill
him. by the moons deceptive light. Nari-
GUS explanations accounting for uncertainty
OF aim under these circumstances have
been offered, but the disadvantage remains
unchanged. If we waited, as was fully in
tended, until the jaguar reached the tree,
and our shots did not then stop him, a few
seconds would bring the wounded beast
among us, and in that case any difference
between his presence and that OF a raging
Bengal tiger or African lion was practically
not worth considering.
This animals character had to be taken
into account, and the greater cats present
striking differences IN this regard But when
enraged and desperate most fight till they
die. There are exceptional instances, but
this is the rule
1t is, however before their innate ferocity
has been aroused that specific traits chiefly
display themselves. tiger often makes
false charges to intimidate his foes, and
the lion resorts to this artifce still more
frequently. The former, if hit hard during
a rush, IS apt to swerve and the latter also
but to less extent, for in general his
onset is made with fierce determination.
Asatic panthers or jaguars make no
such pretenses. When they come it is in
earnest, and there is nothing to match the
swIftnesS and concentrated purpose with
which their charge is pushed home.
rot being out for the first time by any
means, these considerations naturally sug-
eested themselves, although with no more
than due weight. Hours passed before the
beast appeared, and then it was as silently
and suddenly as ghost. Darwin says
the laguar IS a noisy animal" SO he is;
everyone who has been on the Amazcns or
La Plata knows how frequently and how
grandly an American tiger rOars. But this
was man-eater the highest development
IN brute life, a creature who made the
most complex adjustments OF which a
wild animal is capable Silence was es-
sential to success in such enterprises as
this one now had in view, and however the
impulses OF an entirely savage nature may
have quickened as the time for their graft
fication seemed TO draw near, training pre-
vented their customary and natural ex-
preston through the voice.
No sooner, however had he fully
from the jungle, than a marked
and instantaneous change of mien took
place. To scent or see us was apparently
impossible, yet the presence of danger had
evidently been recognized by senses whose