y more smeared leaves, till at length he becomes
completely enveloped, and he is deprived of sight, and in this situation
may be compared to a man who has been tarred and feathered. The anxiety
produced by this strange and novel predicament, soon discovers itself in
dreadful howlings, which serve to call the watchful peasants, who in
this disabled state find no difficulty in shooting the object of
detestation."

"That is better still, Uncle Thomas; I think that is the most ingenious
way of catching an animal that I ever heard of."

"I must now tell you something about the puma or American lion, which is
also taken in a very ingenious manner by the natives of South America.
It is generally hunted by means of dogs. When they unkennel a lion or a
tiger, they pursue him till he stops to defend himself. The hunter, who
is mounted on a good steed, follows close behind, and if the dogs seize
upon the animal, the hunter jumps off his horse, and, while the lion is
engaged in contending with the dogs, strikes him on the head, and thus
dispatches him. If, however, the dogs are afraid to attack him, the
hunter uses his lasso, dexterously fixes it round some part of the
animal, and gallops away, dragging it after him. The dogs now rush in
and tear him, when he is soon dispatched.

"When wounded the puma grows furious and irresistible. Here is a story
which shows the fierceness of the animal:--Two hunters having gone in
quest of game to the Catskill mountains, province of New York, each
armed with a gun, and accompanied by a dog, they agreed to go in
contrary directions round the base of the hill, which formed one of the
points of that chain of mountains; and it was settled that, if either
discharged his piece, the other should hasten to the spot whence the
report proceeded as speedily as possible, to join in the pursuit of
whatever game might fall to their lot. They had not been long asunder,
when the one heard the other fire, and, agreeably to promise, hastened
to join his companion. He looked for him in every direction; but to no
purpose. At length, however, he came upon the dog of his friend, dead,
and dreadfully lacerated. Convinced by this, that the animal his comrade
had shot at was ferocious and formidable, he felt much alarm for his
fate, and sought after him with great anxiety. He had not proceeded many
yards from me spot where the dog lay prostrate, when his attention was
arrested by the ferocious growl of some wild anim