Percy Fawcett

"Jaguars are very common on the cattle plains, and the great sport is not to shoot them, but to lasso them on horseback. Two men take part, keeping the roped beast between them. It requires good mounts and considerable dexterity with the lasso, but given these it is not nearly so dangerous a sport as it sounds."

"No Government inspector who valued his skin would venture into the rubber country and send back an honest report. The arm of vengeance was long, and in the Montaña life was very cheap. For instance, a judge was sent to the Acre to get evidence of the particularly brutal murder of an Austrian, and found that powerful people on the rivers were involved. Had he told what he knew, he would never have left there alive. It was prudent to say nothing, to return safely to the Altiplano with a nice gift of 'hush money' and to close the case by paying a small compensation to the relatives. Who can blame him?"