he
victor uttered another sharp cry--that seemed intended as a call to her
young ones--who, emerging from the weeds, where they had concealed
themselves, ran nimbly forward to the spot."

CHAPTER FORTY.

THE BATTLE OF THE COUGAR AND PECCARIES.

"Frank and I were rather pleased with the result of the encounter;
though I do not see why we should have taken sides with the peccary, who
would have eaten the birds--could she have caught them--and their eggs,
too, just as fast as the snake would have done. And why should we have
taken the part of the birds either, who, in their turn, had devoured
many a butterfly as bright and beautiful as themselves? But so it is.
From time immemorial, the poor snake--who is comparatively a harmless
animal, and whose deadly powers have been greatly exaggerated--has been
hated and persecuted by man more than any other creature; thus
fulfilling in a remarkable manner the prophecy of the Sacred Book.

"We began to consider what plan we should take to capture the animal.
We desired very much to get possession of the young ones, as we knew
they would be a valuable addition to our stock, and would serve us in
the place of real pigs--though their flesh does not taste much like
pork. It is more like that of the hare. In fact, it is not eatable at
all, unless certain precautions are taken immediately after the animal
is killed. There is a glandular opening on the back, just above the
rump, that has been improperly called a navel. In this opening, there
is a substance that emits a strong smell of musk; and if the whole part
be not cut out, in less than an hour after the animal has been killed,
the flesh becomes so impregnated with the musky odour, that it is quite
unpalatable. If the gland, however, be removed in time, peccary-pork is
not bad eating--though there is no lard in it, as in the common pork;
and, as we have said, it tastes more like the flesh of the hare.

"But my companion and I did not think of these things at the time. We
only thought of how we could capture the young peccaries.

"It was plain that, while the mother was with them, the thing would be
impossible. We knew that we dared not encounter the fierce brute. Even
had we had our dogs with us, she would have been more than a match for
both of them with her sharp tusks, and long crocodile-shaped jaws. In
fact, the most courageous dog will lower his tail, and run from the
attack of this animal; and if, on the contr