We stopped at noon in a desert spot called Algodonal. I left my
companions while they drew the boat ashore and were occupied in
preparing our dinner. I went along the shore to get a near view
of a group of crocodiles sleeping in the sun, and lying in such
a manner as to have their tails, which were furnished with broad
plates, resting on one another. This excursion had nearly proved
fatal to me. I had kept my eyes constantly fixed towards the river;
but, whilst picking up some spangles of mica agglomerated together
in the sand, I discovered the recent footsteps of a tiger, easily
distinguishable from their form and size. The animal had gone towards
the forest, and turning my eyes on that side I found myself within
eighty paces of a jaguar that was lying under the thick foliage of
a ceiba. No tiger ever appeared to me so large. There are accidents
in life against which we may seek in vain to fortify our reason. I
was extremely alarmed, yet sufficiently master of myself and of my
motions to enable me to follow the advice which the Indians had so
often given us as to how we ought to act in such cases. I continued
to walk on without running, avoided moving my arms, and I thought I
observed that the jaguar’s attention was fixed on a herd of capybaras
which was crossing the river. I then began to return, making a large
circuit towards the edge of the water. As the distance increased
I thought I might accelerate my pace. How often was I tempted to
look back in order to assure myself that I was not pursued! Happily
I yielded very tardily to this desire. The jaguar had remained
motionless. These enormous cats with spotted robes are so well fed
in countries abounding in capybaras, peccaries, and deer that they
rarely attack men. I arrived at the boat out of breath, and related
my adventure to the Indians. They appeared very little interested by
my story, yet, after having loaded our guns, they accompanied us to
the ceiba beneath which the jaguar had lain. He was there no longer,
and it would have been imprudent to have pursued him into the forest,
where we must have dispersed, or advanced in single file, amidst the
intertwining lianas.