ure, and at night I cut, with a hatchet that I had about me, some
boughs, with which I erected a temporary shelter. The next day, as I was
pursuing my march, I saw a deer bound by me, upon whose shoulders was
fixed a fierce and destructive animal resembling a tiger. This creature,
which is about the size of a moderate dog, ascends the trees and hides
himself among the branches till a deer, or any other animal that he can
master, passes within his reach. He then darts himself with a sudden
spring full upon the neck or shoulder of the unfortunate animal, which
he continues tearing with so much violence that he soon despatches him.
This was actually the case with the poor deer that passed me; for he had
not run a hundred yards before he fell down in the agonies of death, and
his destroyer began to regale himself upon the prey. I instantly saw
that this was a lucky opportunity of supplying myself with food for
several days. I therefore ran towards the animal, and by a violent shout
made him abandon his victim and retire growling into the woods. I then
kindled a fire with leaves and sticks, and, cutting off a large slice of
venison, I plentifully refreshed myself for my journey. I then packed up
as much of the most fleshy parts of the body as I could conveniently
carry, and abandoned the rest to wild beasts.

"In this manner did I march for several days without wanting food, or
seeing any probable end of my fatigues. At length I found a lofty
mountain before me, which I determined to ascend, imagining that such an
elevation might enable me to make some useful discoveries in respect to
the nature of the country I had to traverse, and perhaps present me with
some appearances of cultivation or inhabitants. I therefore ascended
with infinite fatigue a rough and stony ascent of several miles, in
which I was frequently obliged to clamber up pointed rocks, and work my
way along the edge of dangerous precipices. I, however, arrived without
any accident at the top, which was entirely bare of trees, and, looking
round me, I beheld a wild and desert country, extending to a prodigious
distance. Far as my eye could reach I discovered nothing but forests on
every side but one; there the country seemed to be more open, though
equally uncultivated, and I saw meadows and savannahs opening one beyond
another, bounded at length by a spacious river, whose end and beginning
were equally concealed from my eye. I was now so weary of this solitary
k