RGL e-Book Cover©
Based on a public-domain wallpaper
Roy Glashan's Library
Non sibi sed omnibus
Go to Home Page
This work is out of copyright in countries with a copyright
period of 70 years or less, after the year of the author's death.
If it is under copyright in your country of residence,
do not download or redistribute this file.
Original content added by RGL (e.g., introductions, notes,
RGL covers) is proprietary and protected by copyright.
RGL e-Book Cover©
Based on a public-domain wallpaper
The English Illustrated Magazine, 1907
with "Amigo Del Cristiano"
"NAY, Seņor, do not fire. Do not shoot, I pray you. It is a puma!"
But that seemed to me no good reason for foregoing the chance of bagging my quarry and securing a fine skin. The animal I had been aiming at stood in the same place, evidently listening. I pressed the trigger, but as I did so the old hunter at my side jerked my arm and threw the rifle up. The bullet flew high above its intended mark, and the puma bounded away into the forest!
The old hunter jerked my arm.
I turned angrily upon my companion. "What the deuce—!" I began, but he stopped me with a gesture, and said, "Had you killed the puma, we must have broken up our camp and gone back. The hunters would not have remained, and the Gauchos would not have given us any assistance, or even let us have any of their provisions."
"But how in the world is that? I have seen plenty of puma skins since I came out. Somebody must kill them."
"Ah, yes, near the settlements. But here it is thought a bad thing to do, and sure to bring ill luck. Out here the Gauchos call the puma 'Amigo del Cristiano'—man's friend—and never kill one. Near the settlements people are obliged to do it in defence of their herds; but never otherwise. I myself killed one once and have been sorry for it ever since."
It was in Argentina. I had gone into the interior on a hunting expedition and, so far, had met with no success. And now, just when by good luck, as I deemed it, I had got an easy shot at a fine puma, my rifle had been jerked up and the chance lost! And all, as it seemed to me, for the sake of some superstitious fancy on the part of the natives! I felt annoyed, and could not help showing it.
However, there was nothing now to be done, and we turned back in the direction of our camp, for it was already getting dusk; old Guzman, my companion, doing his best to talk me out of my ill humour as we went along.
"I will tell you my own experience in the matter presently," he said; "and I feel assured that you will then take the same view that I do."
That night, beside the camp fire, he told me his story:—
That night, beside the camp fire, he told me his story.
"When I was a young man I lived in Chili. But a friend of mine taking it into his head to try his fortune in this country, I determined to accompany him, not so much on his account, I must admit, as on that of his daughter. Old Costello was fully aware of my admiration for Carlina, and I therefore regarded his approval of my offer to set out with him as an encouragement of my hopes of becoming his son-in-law; for I had not then actually spoken about her to him. But I had no relatives to consult as to my movements; and when I found he was bent on coming over to Argentina, it did not take me very long to make up my mind to come too. We joined a small party travelling across the Andes in the same direction, and after a long and tedious journey we got safely through the passes, down the eastern slopes, and reached the outskirts of the great pampas of La Plata.
"Here we determined to camp for a few days' rest, and also to give us an opportunity of shooting a little game to replenish our larder. And it was here that I killed my first—and last—puma.
"One evening, when I, with two or three others, who had been out all day hunting, reached the camp, we found, to our surprise and alarm, that Carlina was missing. No one had seen her leave the place, or knew why she had done so; all that was known was that she was not in the camp; and this had not been discovered till just before our return.
"The spot at which we were encamped was on the outskirts of a forest-belt that stretched down the mountain side out into the plain, and then ceased abruptly. Here and there small streams, that had come down from the higher ground, wound through the wood, finding their way eventually to a shallow river a few miles away. One such stream was close to where we were encamped; the others were met with at intervals: and at this time of the year all were very low, so that they were easily crossed by stepping upon the pieces of rock that lay in their beds. It seemed to me likely that Carlina had wandered away up the bank of one of these streams into the forest; for I had heard her say that there were very pretty cascades to be seen a little way from the edge of the wood. Thus, she could not well have got lost—if, at least, she followed the stream—so why had she not returned? And which stream had she followed? She might have gone along the bank of the one near the camp, or she might have walked round the edge of the wood till some other of the water-courses had taken her fancy and enticed her to follow and explore it. I myself started off at once along the nearest, and a companion joined me, whilst Costello and others went to seek for her in other directions; but it grew pitch dark ere any could get far, and there was nothing for it but to return and wait till the morning. We fired shots at intervals," and sent loud cries echoing into the woods, but no sound in response rewarded our anxious listening.
"The night passed drearily. I don't think anyone slept. I know that I did not; and with the first signs of the coming dawn we were all astir. Thinking over matters during the long weary night, it had come back to me that Carlina had spoken of a stream wider than any she had previously seen there, one that seemed to promise prettier scenery and waterfalls within the wood. I remembered her saying she hoped to be able to go to explore it further before we left; and I gathered from her description that it lay to the north of the camp—a direction I myself had not reconnoitred. I now determined to take that direction; and, having arranged with the others which way they were going, and for signals by shots in case of success or help being required by any of the searchers, I started off just as it was getting light.
"The first stream I crossed was a small one, and it did not answer to her description, so I passed it, and continued along the edge of the forest a good distance before I came to another. Then I found what seemed to agree with the one I sought. It was much broader than any of those to the south of the camp; it had a belt of clean-looking sand running along each side, and it was dotted with large masses of rock, upon which, among the ferns and mosses, were masses of creepers with brilliant-coloured flowers. And as the sun, which had now risen, shone through the trees and lighted up the scene here and there, glistening on the water as it leaped from rock to rock, I saw that it was just such a place as might tempt a young girl like Carlina to further exploration of its beauties. I therefore walked along the bank of the stream, and had not proceeded very far when I saw in the sand at the very edge of the water the distinct imprints of two small shoes! They were opposite a rock that was in the water, but within reaching distance; it had upon it some showy orchid blossoms, and it was easy to make out that Carlina had stood there for some time while leaning over to pluck such of the flowers as were within reach.
"Thus assured that I was on the right track, I followed the course of the stream and came upon some more footprints in the sand. Then I reached a low cascade, and making my way round it, I came across another stretch of water with sandy shores, and following it, I could still see here and there traces of little footprints, though, from the sand being drier, they were here less distinct. Thus I went on, following the windings of the stream, looking carefully about me on every side, and passing in succession three or four waterfalls, each rather higher than the other. Each one in turn, too, seemed prettier than the other; and though I was in no mood to admire their beauties, yet I noted enough to enable me to understand what it was that had led the foolish girl on and on into the depths of the forest.
"Just above one of these falls the stream broadened out into a small lake, the water of which was wonderfully clear. The great trees on its margin, and the flowers which hung over and nearly touched its surface here and there, were all faithfully reflected in it as though in a mirror; and here, beside a piece of rock upon its shady shore, I found again marks of shoe-prints. They were under some overhanging branches, and suggested that the wanderer had sat down on this rock in the shade to rest, and to gaze upon the charms of the little lake and the waterfall, which could from here be seen closing in the upper end. Not far from this rock the sand branched off like a gravelled path, and disappeared under the trees. It was the dry bed of a small watercourse that, no doubt, in the rainy season, formed another feeder to the lake; and I determined to follow it. It had so exactly the appearance of a sort of side path leading round to the top of the waterfall that it struck me as just the kind of thing to tempt still further my fair seeker after the picturesque. As I entered upon it I found the sand quite moist in places, showing that it was scarcely dry even now. And there I saw, clearly enough, the tracks of the little shoes every here and there; and then I saw, beside them, something else, that brought my heart up into my mouth! This was the footprints of some large beast—a jaguar, as I judged—and they crossed and recrossed the shoe-prints, and were evidently just about as recent!
"Filled with anxious forebodings, I looked to the caps of my rifle—a Winchester, and went on cautiously and silently. Then I came to a place where the sand was covered with deep marks and furrows, and stained with blood! Ah! You can understand what agony that sight caused me! It seemed clear that here the beast had sprung upon my darling, and then had dragged her away into the wood; and a cold despair seized upon my heart as I recognised the possibility that all that was left to me now was to find and recover the dead body of the poor girl, and, if possible, revenge her death upon her cruel murderer. She could not be very far away now; in all likelihood, if I were wary, I might surprise the brute beside his victim. I crept on along the sandy path—as it in effect was—looking to right and to left for traces of an opening in the bushes on either side through which the 'tiger' might have dragged his prey, but seeing none. And, the ground rising, the sand was drier, and no marks were now to be seen. Still I crept on, and at length, looking to the left, I saw between the trees signs of an opening or clearing. Very stealthily I crept closer, and peered out behind some bushes—and there I saw a sight that seemed to freeze the very blood in my veins.
"There was a clearing, or small glade, shut in on the further side by some rocks six to ten feet in height, that formed the face of a terrace that rose higher beyond. At the foot of these rocks, upon the grass, lay the motionless form of poor Carlina, her face hidden under the shade of a small clump of bushes, and, beside her, there lay—an immense puma! It was crouched on the ground with its side towards me, swishing its great tail to and fro, and licking its lips, on and around which I could distinctly see traces of blood! There was blood, too, on the grass beside it.
"I noted all these things in one quick glance; then I set my teeth, and aimed at the shoulder of the beast, with a savage delight at the thought that a bullet through its heart would do all that now remained to avenge my dead loved one; and the next moment the animal gave one loud cry, and then rolled over—dead. I waited a few seconds ready to fire another shot, but it never moved again; and with a great sigh I made my way sorrowfully towards the place where Carlina lay.
The animal gave one loud cry, and then rolled over—dead.
"What was my astonishment to see her sitting up and rubbing her eyes, just as she might when awakened suddenly from an ordinary sleep!
"'Where am I?' she said. 'Oh! I remember. Ah, Carlos, I am so glad you've come. But I knew you would find me. I've been so frightened; and if it had not been for—'
"Just then she caught sight of the dead puma, and gave a loud cry.
"'Oh, what have you done, Carlos? You have shot it—killed it! Killed my friend, my dear protector! Alas, alas, Carlos! What have you done!' And, with tears in her eyes, she dragged herself along the ground to the side of the puma, and began patting and fondling it.
"I stood a minute, and looked on amazed.
"'Are you not hurt, Carlina?' I then exclaimed, joyfully throwing myself on my knees beside her.
"'Only a sprained ankle. Nothing very bad; and it does not pain so much now. But I should have been dead if it had not been for this poor beast, and now—you have killed it! See!' she said, pointing to some ugly-looking wounds that were still bleeding. 'See! these are wounds it received in fighting against a great jaguar to protect me; and now—you have rewarded it by killing it!' And she burst into a fit of sobbing and weeping.
"From what she afterwards told me, I found she had gone to look at the waterfall which was not far beyond, and in returning down the rocks, at the foot of which I had seen her lying, had slipped and fallen, spraining her ankle so badly that she could not walk. Therefore she had been compelled to remain where she was, and hope we should come out and find her. At first she had thought this would be before dark; but when she found it was likely she would have to remain there all night she was terribly frightened, and called out repeatedly at the top of her voice, hoping some searchers might hear her. Then she had heard the roar of the jaguar in the distance, and at that she ceased her cries, and, indeed, gave up all hope, and when the puma had come leaping into the glade with a great bound, she thought it was the jaguar; but when she saw it was a puma she took heart a little, for she had often heard that a puma never attacks a human being.
Carlina's protector.
"Thus it was that when my wife—for Carlina has now been my wife for many years—saw the puma, she felt more reassured. But the jaguar had heard her cries, and followed her footsteps up the sandy path, as I had seen. Then the puma had come out to meet it, and fought it there to the death."
The puma's fight with the jaguar.
And that is why, amongst my collection of hunting trophies, I have no skins of pumas.
Roy Glashan's Library
Non sibi sed omnibus
Go to Home Page
This work is out of copyright in countries with a copyright
period of 70 years or less, after the year of the author's death.
If it is under copyright in your country of residence,
do not download or redistribute this file.
Original content added by RGL (e.g., introductions, notes,
RGL covers) is proprietary and protected by copyright.