ack by which the
serpent had retreated. All on a sudden she stopped, tossed up her nose,
and scented the air. The fetid smell of the moccason had reached her,
and seemed at once to rouse all her energies. She ran for some moments
from side to side with her nose to the ground, and lifting the trail
like a hound. She first followed it back to the tree, but there was a
double trail--that by which the snake had come, as well as the one he
had just made in retreating--and this for a moment puzzled her. She
took the wrong trail at first, and galloped nimbly out upon it; but,
almost in the same breath, returned to the tree, and then started upon
the other.

"During all these manoeuvres, the snake was crawling off as fast as he
could--which at best was only a very tardy gait, for the moccason is but
a slow traveller. We could see that he kept as much as possible under
the grass, occasionally raising his flattened head, and glaring behind
him. He was making for the cliffs, that were only about a stone's throw
distant.

"He had got scarce half-way, when the peccary running up the fresh trail
almost trod upon him; and, seeing the object of her pursuit, she
suddenly stopped, erected her long bristles, and uttered a shrill grunt.
The snake, finding that he was overtaken, threw himself into a coil,
and prepared to give battle; while his antagonist, now looking more like
a great porcupine than a pig, drew back, as if to take the advantage of
a run; and then halted. Both for a moment eyed each other--the peccary
evidently calculating its distance,--while the great snake seemed cowed,
and quivering with affright. Its appearance was entirely different from
the bright semblance it had exhibited but a moment before, when engaged
with the birds. Its eyes were less fiery, and its whole body seemed
more ashy and wrinkled.

"We had not many moments to observe it, for the peccary was now seen to
rush forward, spring high into the air, and pounce down with all her
feet held together upon the coils of the serpent! She immediately
bounded back again; and, quick as thought, once more rose above her
victim. The snake was now uncoiled, and writhing over the ground.
Another rush from the peccary--another spring--and the sharp hoofs of
the animal came down upon the neck of the serpent, crushing it upon the
hard turf. The body of the reptile, distended to its full length,
quivered for a moment, and then lay motionless along the grass. T