The naturalist in Nicaragua : a narrative of a residence at the gold mines of Chontales; journeys in the savannahs and forests; with observations on animals and plants in reference to the theory of evolution of living forms . cases formy breech-loader, and wishing to get some specimensof the small birds that attend the armies of the foragingants, I made up three or four small charges of No. 8shot, putting in only a quarter of an ounce of shot intoeach charge, so as not to destroy their plumage. Iwent back into the forest along a path where I hadoften seen the great footmarks of the tapir. Afte
The naturalist in Nicaragua : a narrative of a residence at the gold mines of Chontales; journeys in the savannahs and forests; with observations on animals and plants in reference to the theory of evolution of living forms . cases formy breech-loader, and wishing to get some specimensof the small birds that attend the armies of the foragingants, I made up three or four small charges of No. 8shot, putting in only a quarter of an ounce of shot intoeach charge, so as not to destroy their plumage. Iwent back into the forest along a path where I hadoften seen the great footmarks of the tapir. Afterriding about a couple of miles, I heard the notes ofsome birds, and, dismounting, tied up my mule, andpushed through the bushes. The birds were shy, andin following them I had got about fifty yards from thepath, to a part where the big trees were more clear ofbrushwood, when I heard a loud hough in a thickettowards the left. It was something between a coughand a growl, but very loud, and could only have beenproduced by a very large animal. Never having seenor heard a jaguar before in the woods, and having oftenseen the footprints of the tapir, I thought it was thelatter, and thinking I would have to get very close up. Ch. VIII.] ENCOUNTER WITH A JAGUAR. 145 to it to do it aay damage with my little charge of smallshot, I ran along towards the sound, which was con-tinued at intervals of a few seconds. Seeing a largeanimal moving amongst the thick bushes, only a fewyards from me, I stopped, wlien, to my amazement, outstalked a great jaguar (like the housekeepers rat, thelargest I had ever seen), in whose jaws I should havebeen nearly as helpless as a mouse in those of a was lashing his tail, at every roar showing his greatteeth, and was evidently in a bad humour. Notwith-standing I was so near to him, I scarcely think he sawme at first, as he was crossing the open glade abouttwenty yards in front of me. I had not even a knifewith me to show fight with if he attacked me, an
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
