, the jaguar scorns the
dogs, and with a rush like a ball from a cannon springs madly at one of
them, feeling sure that it cannot escape. It has reckoned, however,
without its host, for the dog eludes the spring with ease, and with
great quickness flies on the tiger's flank, giving it a severe nip. As
the tiger turns with a growl of pain and disappointment, the dog is off
to a little distance, yelping lustily and never remaining still an
instant, but darting first on one side and then on the other. After one
or two ineffectual charges the tiger gives it up, and on the approach of
the hunter, springs into the nearest suitable tree, which it seldom
leaves alive.

[The Indians describe several kinds of tigers and tiger-cats,
each of which hunts one kind of animal in particular, whose
call it can imitate. The deer-tiger is the puma. The wailah, or
tapir-tiger, is pure black and of great size.]

The Corentyne and its branches were literally teeming with fish of
various kinds, the greater number being haimara and perai. The latter
were so abundant and ferocious that at times it was dangerous, when
bathing, to go into the water at a greater depth than up to one's knees.
Even then small bodies of these hungry creatures would swim in and make
a dash close up to our legs, and then retreat to a short distance. They
actually bit the steering paddles as they were drawn through the water
astern of the boats. A tapir which I shot swimming across the river had
its nose eaten off by them whilst we were towing it to the shore.

Of an evening the men used to catch some of them for sport, and in
taking the hook from their mouths produce a wound from which the blood
ran freely. On throwing them back into the water in this injured
condition they were immediately set upon and devoured by their
companions. Even as one was being hauled in on the line, its comrades,
seeing that it was in difficulties, attacked it at once. One day, when
the boat was hauled in to some rocks, a few of the men were engaged
shooting fish near by, and in so doing wounded a large haimara. Having
escaped from its human tormentors, it made for the open river, but was
instantly attacked by perai attracted by the blood escaping from its
wound, and was driven back to the shelter of the rocks close to the
boat, from which I had a good view of the chase. The large fish
followed by its savage enemies reminded me of a parallel case on
land,--a stricken de