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S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S • 61 O n the day after Christmas in 1913, Theodore Roosevelt and Kermit were planning another day of hunting on the Taquary River in Brazil. Both father and son were hunting jaguars before embarking on their big adventure down the River of Doubt. The jaguar is considered the lord of the South American jungle, just as the lion is the king of the African veldt. Back then it was certainly the most prized trophy for hunters in South and Central America. Colonel Rondon, their expedition guide, explained that some of the big cats had been known to kill horses, goats, and cattle, but elsewhere they seemed to prefer the tapir. He noted that if a jaguar made a kill away from water, it would most likely drag its victim to water before eating. Heavy boned and extremely powerful, the big cats were capable of dragging a full-grown horse over a mile, as well as fighting and killing large anacondas. The previous day TR had shot a large female jaguar. Now it was Kermit's turn, and he was after a male for the museum's collection. He would be using the same pack of hounds that his father used the previous day, but because the dogs had still not been fully tested in the field, Kermit was not confident in their ability to track and bay one of the big cats. T hey headed out early and by ten o'clock, after a five-hour ride, the sun had forced its way through the morning mist. The party arrived at a deep, meandering bayou where the exhausted hounds were allowed to rest for a while. It was there that one of the Brazilian guides noticed some fresh jaguar tracks along the bank. One of the older dogs had an all-black coat, which was not ideal for the stifling conditions. By the time they arrived at the bayou, the black dog looked as though it was almost done in from heat exhaustion, having been brought on a leash the entire way. Kermit drenched the dog with water, and soon it was refreshed enough to take notice of the tracks. The old dog sniffed the pugmark while still lying down, then, after inhaling a healthy dose of the cat's scent, he yelped loudly and seemed to start after the jaguar's trail. He ran up and down the Legends of the hunt by john seerey-Lester Kermit roosevelt Kills a jaguar on his harrowing journey down the river of doubt. bank before finding a place where he could dive into the water, despite the presence of piranhas. The hunters watched the hound's actions and presumed the jaguar was not too far away. The men found a suitable place to cross the water, then one by one, with Kermit leading the way, they started wading the bayou with the main pack of dogs paddling behind them. The crossing was made even more difficult because of the thick tangle of aquatic plants and the reluctance of the short-legged horses to venture too deep. Kermit showed good horsemanship when he forced his mount through the tangled mass. The little horse plunged into the marshy soup, creating a path that made it easier for the other horses to follow. Reaching the other side of the marsh, the hunters emerged in a thicket of tall trees and low-growing palms with long fronds carrying heavy clusters of nuts. By the time the horsemen rode through the woods, the dogs had already passed them and could be heard in the distance. defiance by john seerey-Lester