ary, he should await it, it
would only be to have a leg snapped off, or his side ripped open. It
was plain, then, as long as the old one was there to guard them, we
could never lay our fingers upon the `shoats.' What was to be done?
Should we send a rifle bullet at the mother? Frank thought this would
be cruel, and so it would have been. Still I knew that the peccary was
a fierce animal, and not much entitled to the mercy we would have shown
to a deer, or any harmless creature like that. I knew, moreover, that
there were a good many of them in the valley--for we had seen their
tracks in the mud--and it was exceedingly dangerous to come in contact
with them. Indeed, hunters and others have been often surrounded, and
torn in pieces by them. Such, then, being the case, I felt that it
would not be wise to let any of them escape, whenever we could destroy
them--else they might at some time destroy one of ourselves. With these
thoughts in my mind, I paid but little attention to the remonstrances of
Frank; but, bending down from the branch, on which we stood, I reached
for my rifle. I could just lay hold of the muzzle, as it leaned against
the tree; and, drawing it cautiously up, I prepared to fire.

"During all this time, the peccary had been busy with the carcass of the
snake. After killing it, she had bitten off the head; and, holding the
body between her forefeet, she had peeled off the skin with her tusks
and teeth as adroitly as a fishmonger would have skinned an eel! She
had just finished this operation as I got hold of the gun; and was now
tearing up the white flesh, and throwing it in small pieces to the
youngsters--all the while uttering low grants, that betokened her
satisfaction and enjoyment.

"I raised my rifle, and was about to take aim, when an object caught my
eye, which caused me to lower it again with a feeling of terror. The
peccary was about fifty yards from the tree upon which we stood; and
about twenty yards beyond, another animal, of a far different character,
was seen coming out of the jungle. It was about the size of a vealed
calf, but shorter in the legs, and much longer in the body. It was all
over of a deep red colour, except the breast and throat, which were
nearly white. Its ears were erect, short and blackish; its head and
muzzle cat-shaped; and its whole body somewhat resembled the figure of a
cat--except that its back, instead of being arched, was hollow, and sunk
away below th