按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ran over the ground with extraordinary rapidity。 Beautiful swallow…
tailed king…birds with rosy plumage perched on the tops of the small
trees； and soared and flitted in graceful curves above them。
Blackbirds of many kinds scuttled in flocks about the corrals and
outbuildings around the ranches。 Mocking…birds abounded； and were very
noisy； singing almost all the daytime； but with their usual irritating
inequality of performance； wonderfully musical and powerful snatches
of song being interspersed with imitations of other bird notes and
disagreeable squalling。 Throughout the trip I did not hear one of them
utter the beautiful love song in which they sometimes indulge at
night。
The country was all under wire fence； unlike the northern regions； the
pastures however being sometimes many miles across。 When we reached
the Frio ranch a herd of a thousand cattle had just been gathered； and
two or three hundred beeves and young stock were being cut out to be
driven northward over the trail。 The cattle were worked in pens much
more than in the North； and on all the ranches there were chutes with
steering gates； by means of which individuals of a herd could be
dexterously shifted into various corrals。 The branding of the calves
was done ordinarily in one of these corrals and on foot； the calf
being always roped by both forelegs； otherwise the work of the
cowpunchers was much like that of their brothers in the North。 As a
whole； however； they were distinctly more proficient with the rope；
and at least half of them were Mexicans。
There were some bands of wild cattle living only in the densest timber
of the river bottoms which were literally as wild as deer； and
moreover very fierce and dangerous。 The pursuit of these was exciting
and hazardous in the extreme。 The men who took part in it showed not
only the utmost daring but the most consummate horsemanship and
wonderful skill in the use of the rope； the coil being hurled with the
force and precision of an iron quiot； a single man speedily
overtaking； roping； throwing； and binding down the fiercest steer or
bull。
There had been many peccaries； or； as the Mexicans and cowpunchers of
the border usually call them； javalinas； round this ranch a few years
before the date of my visit。 Until 1886； or thereabouts； these little
wild hogs were not much molested； and abounded in the dense chaparral
around the lower Rio Grande。 In that year； however； it was suddenly
discovered that their hides had a market value； being worth four bits
that is； half a dollarapiece； and many Mexicans and not a few
shiftless Texans went into the business of hunting them as a means of
livelihood。 They were more easily killed than deer； and； as a result；
they were speedily exterminated in many localities where they had
formerly been numerous； and even where they were left were to be found
only in greatly diminished numbers。 On this particular Frio ranch the
last little band had been killed nearly a year before。 There were
three of them； a boar and two sows； and a couple of the cowboys
stumbled on them early one morning while out with a dog。 After half a
mile's chase the three peccaries ran into a hollow pecan tree； and one
of the cowboys； dismounting； improvised a lance by tying his knife to
the end of a pole； and killed them all。
Many anecdotes were related to me of what they had done in the old
days when they were plentiful on the ranch。 They were then usually
found in parties of from twenty to thirty； feeding in the dense
chaparral； the sows rejoining the herd with the young very soon after
the birth of the litter； each sow usually having but one or two at a
litter。 At night they sometimes lay in the thickest cover； but always；
where possible； preferred to house in a cave or big hollow log； one
invariably remaining as a sentinel close to the mouth； looking out。 If
this sentinel were shot； another would almost certainly take his
place。 They were subject to freaks of stupidity； and were pugnacious
to a degree。 Not only would they fight if molested； but they would
often attack entirely without provocation。
Once my friend Moore himself； while out with another cowboy on
horseback； was attacked in sheer wantonness by a drove of these little
wild hogs。 The two men were riding by a grove of live…oaks along a
woodcutter's cart track； and were assailed without a moment's warning。
The little creatures completely surrounded them； cutting fiercely at
the horses' legs and jumping up at the riders' feet。 The men； drawing
their revolvers； dashed through and were closely followed by their
pursuers for three or four hundred yards； although they fired right
and left with good effect。 Both of the horses were badly cut。 On
another occasion the bookkeeper of the ranch walked off to a water
hole but a quarter of a mile distant； and came face to face with a
peccary on a cattle trail； where the brush was thick。 Instead of
getting out of his way the creature charged him instantly； drove him
up a small mesquite tree； and kept him there for nearly two hours；
looking up at him and champing its tusks。
I spent two days hunting round this ranch but saw no peccary sign
whatever； although deer were quite plentiful。 Parties of wild geese
and sandhill cranes occasionally flew overhead。 At nightfall the poor…
wills wailed everywhere through the woods； and coyotes yelped and
yelled； while in the early morning the wild turkeys gobbled loudly
from their roosts in the tops of the pecan trees。
Having satisfied myself that there were no javalinas left on the Frio
ranch； and being nearly at the end of my holiday； I was about to
abandon the effort to get any； when a passing cowman happened to
mention the fact that some were still to be found on the Nueces River
thirty miles or thereabouts to the southward。 Thither I determined to
go； and next morning Moore and I started in a buggy drawn by a
redoubtable horse； named Jim Swinger； which we were allowed to use
because he bucked so under the saddle that nobody on the ranch could
ride him。 We drove six or seven hours across the dry； waterless
plains。 There had been a heavy frost a few days before； which had
blackened the budding mesquite trees； and their twigs still showed no
signs of sprouting。 Occasionally we came across open space where there
was nothing but short brown grass。 In most places； however； the
leafless； sprawling mesquites were scattered rather thinly over the
ground； cutting off an extensive view and merely adding to the
melancholy barrenness of the landscape。 The road was nothing but a
couple of dusty wheel…tracks； the ground was parched； and the grass
cropped close by the gaunt； starved cattle。 As we drove along buzzards
and great hawks occasionally soared overhead。 Now and then we passed
lines of wild…looking； long…horned steers； and once we came on the
grazing horses of a cow…outfit； just preparing to start northward over
the trail to the fattening pasture。 Occasionally we encountered one or
two cowpunchers： either Texans； habited exactly like their brethren in
the North； with broad…brimmed gray hats； blue shirts； silk
neckerchiefs； and leather leggings； or else Mexicans； more gaudily
dressed； and wearing peculiarly stiff； very broad…brimmed hats with
conical tops。
Toward the end of our ride we got where the ground was more fertile；
and there had recently been a sprinkling of rain。 Here we came across
wonderful flower prairies。 In one spot I kept catching glimpses
through the mesquite trees of lilac stretches which I had first
thought must be ponds of water。 On coming nearer they proved to be
acres on acres thickly covered with beautiful lilac…colored flowers。
Farther on we came to where broad bands of red flowers covered the
ground for many furlongs； then their places were taken by yellow
blossoms； elsewhere by white。 Generally each band or patch of ground
was covered densely by flowers of the same color； making a great vivid
streak across the landscape； but in places they were mixed together；
red； yellow； and purple； interspersed in patches and curving bands；
carpeting the prairie in a strange； bright pattern。
Finally； toward evening we reached the Nueces。 Where we struck it
first the bed was dry； except in occasional deep； malarial…looking
pools； but a short distance below there began to be a running current。
Great blue herons were stalking beside these pools； and from one we
flushed a white ibis。 In the woods were reddish cardinal birds； much
less brilliant in plumage than the true cardinals and the scarlet
tanagers； and yellow…headed titmice which had already built large
domed nests。
In the valley of the Nueces itself； the brush grew thick。 There were
great groves of pecan trees； and ever…green live…oaks stood in many
places； long； wind…shaken tufts of gray moss hanging from their limbs。
Many of the trees in the wet spots were of giant size； and the whole
landscape was semi…tropical in character。 High on a bluff shoulder
overlooking the course of the river was perched the ranch house；
toward which we were bending our steps； and here we were received with
the hearty hospitality characteristic of the ranch country everywhere。
The son of the ranchman；