An immense Jaguar, standing on the trimk of an aged Moratree" "I seized his forelegs, and twisted them on his back" "The water foamed, and dashed and boiled, amongst the rocks" The Song of the Red Monkey xvii The traveler in these immense forests may go for days and see no animal life save a few birds and insects, for the vegetation is so dense and matted together with lianas, bushropes, and orchid roots that the cover is perfect, and the largest animals can conceal themselves almost instantly. Even the great tapir, nearly as large as a cow, can thread its way noiselessly through The scenery is rather monotonous going up the Demerara Eiver, but after crossing over to the Essequibo, it improves greatly and the islands, rocks, rapids, and the wooded hills are very beautiful-and the waterfalls are magnificent; the On the ground between these great roots are masses of dead leaves, fruits, seeds and seed pods, of all shades of reds, yellows, and browns; and the dead trunks and branches are covered with most beautiful mosses and lichens. Everywhere is beauty; everywhere in the light of day are most lovely little pictures, and, when the shades of night have fallen, everywhere is xxiv wounded into the water. Even the great Cayman himself, should he be torn by the claws of a jaguar caught by a sudden rush as it was drinking, would find his armor plate of no avail, for these wicked little killers are in such numbers, and can bite so savagely with their powerful jaws, that the bleeding scratch would instantly be greatly enlarged 10 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA every house in the village; but I cannot affirm that I myself ever saw it. It was an enormous mouse, of a dark brown colour, and did an immensity of mischief. No cat could face it ; and as it wandered through the village, all the dogs would take off, frightened out of their wits, and howling as they ran away. William Wilkinson, Mr. Storey's farming man, told me he had often seen it, but that it terrified him to such a degree that he could not move from the place where he was standing. ' ' Our master kept a large tomcat in the house. A fine young man, in the neighbouring village of Ferryhill, had been severely bitten by a cat, and he died raving mad. On the day that we got this information from Timothy Pickering, the carpenter at Tudhoe, I was on the prowl for adventures, and in passing through Mr. Storey's back kitchen, his big black cat came up to me. Whilst I was tickling its bushy tail, it turned round upon me, and gave me a severe bite in the calf of the leg. This I kept a profound secret, but I was quite sure I should go mad every day, for many months afterwards. "There was a blacksmith's shop leading down the village to Tudhoe Old Hall. Just opposite this shop was a pond, on the other side of the road. When any sudden death was to take place, or any sudden ill to befall the village, a large black horse used to emerge from it, and walk slowly up and down the village, carrying a rider without a head. The blacksmith's grandfather, his father, himself, his three sons...
