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the hearty hospitality characteristic of the ranch country everywhere。
The son of the ranchman； a tall； well…built young fellow； told me at
once that there were peccaries in the neighborhood； and that he had
himself shot one but two or three days before； and volunteered to lend
us horses and pilot us to the game on the morrow； with the help of his
two dogs。 The last were big black curs with； as we were assured；
〃considerable hound〃 in them。 One was at the time staying at the ranch
house； the other was four or five miles off with a Mexican goat…
herder； and it was arranged that early in the morning we should ride
down to the latter place； taking the first dog with us and procuring
his companion when we reached the goat…herder's house。
We started after breakfast； riding powerful cow…ponies； well trained
to gallop at full speed through the dense chaparral。 The big black
hound slouched at our heels。 We rode down the banks of the Nueces；
crossing and recrossing the stream。 Here and there were long； deep
pools in the bed of the river； where rushes and lilies grew and huge
mailed garfish swam slowly just beneath the surface of the water。 Once
my two companions stopped to pull a mired cow out of a slough； hauling
with ropes from their saddle horns。 In places there were half…dry
pools； out of the regular current of the river； the water green and
fetid。 The trees were very tall and large。 The streamers of pale gray
moss hung thickly from the branches of the live…oaks； and when many
trees thus draped stood close together they bore a strangely mournful
and desolate look。
We finally found the queer little hut of the Mexican goat…herder in
the midst of a grove of giant pecans。 On the walls were nailed the
skins of different beasts； raccoons； wild…cats； and the tree…civet；
with its ringed tail。 The Mexican's brown wife and children were in
the hut； but the man himself and the goats were off in the forest； and
it took us three or four hours' search before we found him。 Then it
was nearly noon； and we lunched in his hut； a square building of split
logs； with bare earth floor； and roof of clap…boards and bark。 Our
lunch consisted of goat's meat and /pan de mais/。 The Mexican； a
broad…chested man with a stolid Indian face； was evidently quite a
sportsman； and had two or three half…starved hounds； besides the
funny； hairless little house dogs； of which Mexicans seem so fond。
Having borrowed the javalina hound of which we were in search； we rode
off in quest of our game； the two dogs trotting gayly ahead。 The one
which had been living at the ranch had evidently fared well； and was
very fat； the other was little else but skin and bone； but as alert
and knowing as any New York street…boy； with the same air of
disreputable capacity。 It was this hound which always did most in
finding the javalinas and bringing them to bay； his companion's chief
use being to make a noise and lend the moral support of his presence。
We rode away from the river on the dry uplands； where the timber；
though thick； was small； consisting almost exclusively of the thorny
mesquites。 Mixed among them were prickly pears； standing as high as
our heads on horseback； and Spanish bayonets； looking in the distance
like small palms； and there were many other kinds of cactus； all with
poisonous thorns。 Two or three times the dogs got on an old trail and
rushed off giving tongue； whereat we galloped madly after them；
ducking and dodging through and among the clusters of spine…bearing
tress and cactus； not without getting a considerable number of thorns
in our hands and legs。 It was very dry and hot。 Where the javalinas
live in droves in the river bottoms they often drink at the pools； but
when some distance from water they seem to live quite comfortably on
the prickly pear； slaking their thirst by eating its hard； juicy
fibre。
At last； after several false alarms； and gallops which led to nothing；
when it lacked but an hour of sundown we struck a band of five of the
little wild hogs。 They were running off through the mesquites with a
peculiar hopping or bounding motion； and we all； dogs and men； tore
after them instantly。
Peccaries are very fast for a few hundred yards； but speedily tire；
lose their wind； and come to bay。 Almost immediately one of these； a
sow； as it turned out； wheeled and charged at Moore as he passed；
Moore never seeing her but keeping on after another。 The sow then
stopped and stood still； chattering her teeth savagely； and I jumped
off my horse and dropped her dead with a shot in the spine； over the
shoulders。 Moore meanwhile had dashed off after his pig in one
direction； and killed the little beast with a shot from the saddle
when it had come to bay； turning and going straight at him。 Two of the
peccaries got off； the remaining one； a rather large boar； was
followed by the two dogs； and as soon as I had killed the sow I leaped
again on my horse and made after them； guided by the yelping and
baying。 In less than a quarter of a mile they were on his haunches；
and he wheeled and stood under a bush； charging at them when they came
near him； and once catching one； inflicting an ugly cut。 All the while
his teeth kept going like castanets； with a rapid champing sound。 I
ran up close and killed him by a shot through the backbone where it
joined the neck。 His tusks were fine。
The few minutes' chase on horseback was great fun； and there was a
certain excitement in seeing the fierce little creatures come to bay；
but the true way to kill these peccaries would be with the spear。 They
could often be speared on horseback； and where this was impossible； by
using dogs to bring them to bay they could readily be killed on foot；
though； as they are very active； absolutely fearless； and inflict a
most formidable bite； it would usually be safest to have two men go at
one together。 Peccaries are not difficult beasts to kill； because
their short wind and their pugnacity make them come to bay before
hounds so quickly。 Two or three good dogs can bring to a halt a herd
of considerable size。 They then all stand in a bunch； or else with
their sterns against a bank； chattering their teeth at their
antagonist。 When angry and at bay； they get their legs close together；
their shoulders high； and their bristles all ruffled and look the very
incarnation of anger； and they fight with reckless indifference to the
very last。 Hunters usually treat them with a certain amount of
caution； but； as a matter of act； I know of but one case where a man
was hurt by them。 He had shot at and wounded one； was charged both by
it and by its two companions； and started to climb a tree； but as he
drew himself from the ground； one sprang at him and bit him through
the calf； inflicting a very severe wound。 I have known of several
cases of horses being cut； however； and the dogs are very commonly
killed。 Indeed； a dog new to the business is almost certain to get
very badly scarred； and no dog that hunts steadily can escape without
some injury。 If it runs in right at the heads of the animals； the
probabilities are that it will get killed； and； as a rule； even two
good…sized hounds cannot kill a peccary； though it is no larger than
either of them。 However； a wary； resolute； hard…biting dog of good
size speedily gets accustomed to the chase； and can kill a peccary
single…handed； seizing it from behind and worrying it to death； or
watching its chance and grabbing it by the back of the neck where it
joins the head。
Peccaries have delicately moulded short legs； and their feet are
small； the tracks looking peculiarly dainty in consequence。 Hence；
they do not swim well； though they take to the water if necessary。
They feed on roots； prickly pears； nuts； insects； lizards； etc。 They
usually keep entirely separate from the droves of half…wild swine that
are so often found in the same neighborhoods； but in one case； on this
very ranch where I was staying a peccary deliberately joined a party
of nine pigs and associated with them。 When the owner of the pigs came
up to them one day the peccary manifested great suspicion at his
presence； and finally sidled close up and threatened to attack him； so
that he had to shoot it。 The ranchman's son told me that he had never
but once had a peccary assail him unprovoked； and even in this case it
was his dog that was the object of attack； the peccary rushing out at
it as it followed him home one evening through the chaparral。 Even
around this ranch the peccaries had very greatly decreased in numbers；
and the survivors were learning some caution。 In the old days it had
been no uncommon thing for a big band to attack entirely of their own
accord； and keep a hunter up a tree for hours at a time。
CHAPTER VII。
HUNTING WITH HOUNDS。
In hunting American big game with hounds； several entirely distinct
methods are pursued。 The true wilderness hunters； the men who in the
early days lived alone in； or moved in parties through； the Indian…
haunted solitudes； like their successors of to…day； rarely made use of
a pack of hounds； and； as a rule； did not use dogs at all。 In the
eastern forests occasionally an o