"There was no doubt that a tapir would be roused. The island had all the appearance of being the haunt of one or more of these creatures, besides the tracks were evidence of their recent presence upon the spot. The beating, therefore, proceeded as lively as ever, and the hunters and dogs now penetrated to the centre of the thicket. "Again the quick angry yelping of the latter fell upon the ear; and again the thick cover rustled and shook. "`This time the tapir,' said the chief to me in an undertone, adding the next moment in a louder voice, `Look yonder!' "I looked in the direction pointed out. I could perceive something in motion among the leaves--a dark brown body, smooth and rounded, the body of a tapir! "I caught only a glimpse of it, as it sprang forward into the opening. It was coming at full gallop, with its head carried between its knees. The dogs were close after, and it looked not before it, but dashed out and ran towards us as though blind. "It made for the water, just a few feet from the bow of our canoe. The chief and I fired at the same time. I thought my bullet took effect, and so thought the chief did his; but the tapir, seeming not to heed the shots, plunged into the stream, and went under. "The next moment the whole string of dyed dogs came sweeping out of the thicket, and leaped forward to where the game had disappeared. "There was blood upon the water. The tapir is hit, then, thought I; and was about to point out the blood to the chief, when on turning I saw the latter poising himself knife in hand, near the stern of the canoe. He was about to spring out of it. His eye was fixed on some object under the water. "I looked in the same direction. The waters of the Xingu are as clear as crystal: against the sandy bottom, I could trace the dark brown body of the tapir. It was making for the deeper channel of the river, but evidently dragging itself along with difficulty. One of its legs was disabled by our shots. "I had scarcely time to get a good view of it before the chief sprang into the air, and dropped head foremost into the water. I could see a struggle going on at the bottom--turbid water came to the surface--and then up came the dark head of the savage chief. "`Ugh!' cried he, as he shook the water from his thick tresses, and beckoned me to assist him--`Ugh! Senhor, you eat roast tapir for dinner. Si--bueno--here tapir.' "I pulled him into the boat, and afterwards assisted to haul up the huge body of the slain tapir. "As was now seen, both our shots had taken effect; but it was the rifle-bullet that had broken the creature's leg, and the generous savage acknowledged that he would have had but little chance of overtaking the game under water, had it not been previously crippled.