The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-23
soUrH AMERICAN JAGUAas.
a Hunters Run from One ana an Indian
voman's Iirnve Enort TO save Her child.

\ Hunters Hun from one ana an hnuihh
woman's IirnVc Enort to save Her child.
I'm the autumn OF 1899 I was staying ut a
ranch on the Alta upper orinoco. in the partly
open lands OF tho cattle region Of Venezuela"
said Sidney Ascot, who has travelled South
America from one end to the other. "Ono day
my friend. Ellis Groll, a noted cattle exporter.
at whose house 1 was a guest, proposed that wo
go out with our shotguns for pewns, as the wild
turkeys OF that region ore called. l was read
ing an interesting novel Mt tho time, so when
We started out with our guns, a lunch,
and pockets full Of corn, l took tho
boox along with mo, for I know that
pewa hunting meant hours OF silent waiting.
which reading would hclp to while away. When
We got to tho place we meant To hunt Grell and
] separated so as to cover moro country. l found
n spot to suit me. rugged up n blind Of green
branches, and then dropped tho corn along in
lines, all leading, from considerable distances
away. up TO the blind, to cntico the turkeys
within shooting range. Then I seated myself
comfortably behind the blind and, taking out
the novel. began to read.
"The story was a good one, and as I was OK
pccting nothing but turkeys to arrive l did not
at first nay much attention to a rustling sound
that after a time came TO my ears from n tree
that stood a few PAGES away, SO near that the
tip OF ono Of its lower branches almost over
hung me. l merely glanced up among the
leaves, and seeing nothing to cause the sound,
thought that It was made by a bird or monkey.
and went on with my reading. In place of the
rustling came another sound, a steady hip-flap,
which I could not understand. and looked up
into the tree again more carefully: but still see
ing nothing to alarm me l turned again to my
book. l should not have found the novel so
absorbing had I known. as presently l found
out, that the %rustling was caused by a jaguar
lying, upon a limb of the tree within easy spring
Ing distance OF ME. and that the nlD-uapDlnR
sound was made by his tail.
"A turkey came along at last, a solitary one,
and l shot IL directly opposite the blind. The
instant the bird fell struggling the jaguar
lcapod, from the tree upon It. struck it down
as II to spring upon me. The only cartridges 1
had along were loaded with fine shot. and there
possible to save myself and fred at the jaiguar 5
head, destroying both, his eyes. He sprang,
but the shot made him swerve. and
me a chance, to rum, Blinded as he was, the
jaguar chased me all the way home to the ranch
ments and his sense of smell. Running Slap
against tree trunks and whatever else might lie
in his way, he nevertheless led me SO close a
he certainly would have ~overtaken me. had
nc, cartridges Sr with IL " which ! L;h to pePper him as I
at the blind with my book In the hurry OF get
ting away.
jaguar, and, while he was nosing along It trying
to get through, / had time to dash indoors and
get some DucRsnOt cartridges Tor my gun. with
which l came out and finished him. / had had
n close call. closer than ever l care to repeat;
and never went out shooting, again in the
tropics without taking both ball and buckshot
cartridges with me. That the jaRuar lay so
long in the tree without springing directly upon
not very hungry. 1t was the sight OF the tlut.
tering turkey, its natural prey, and the smell of
its blood that woke the jaguar's savage in
stincts.
I'm the village of Nutrias,, up the Orinoco, I
who bore sad marks of a jaguar's teeth and
claws, being famed for life, and she incurred
them in defending her child from being carried
her door one day with the child beside her a
1aguar suddenly appeared, seized the child, and
turned to dart away with it into the forest. In
desperation the mother grabbed the beast by
the tail and held on. The jaguar dropped
with one stroke Of his paw tore through flesh
and muscles from her hip to her knee. Again
he seized the child, and again the mother caught
him by the tail. This time the iaguar attacked
bis claws and biting her terribly In the breast.
Once moro the brute seized the child, but the
little ive-ycar.old Indian. with the jaguar's
teeth In Its hip. fought so fercely. hammering
the beasts head with his fists, and at last push
dropped 1t for the third time.
by this time the father came up and attacked
the jaguar with his machete. In his excitement
he missed the first stroke. merely severing one
animal turned on him. this time cutting off one of
the jaguars feet. The blow caused the jaguar
to miss its spring upon him, and gave the Indian
a chance for n fair stroke at The neck, which
showed me the scars of her wounds, and l saw
the child that the jaguar had seized. now grown
up to young wOmanhoOd. She had sustained no
permanent injury from the teeth of the brute