hunting the grisly and other sketches-第18章

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pumas　very　common；　and　killed　many。　They　were　very　destructive　to
sheep　and　colts；　but　were　singularly　cowardly　when　dealing　with　men。
Not　only　did　they　never　attack　human　beings；　under　any　stress　of
hunger；　but　they　made　no　effective　resistance　when　brought　to　bay；
merely　scratching　and　cuffing　like　a　big　cat；　so　that　if　found　in　a
cave；　it　was　safe　to　creep　in　and　shoot　them　with　a　revolver。　Jaguars；
on　the　contrary；　were　very　dangerous　antagonists。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VI。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　PECCARY　HUNT　ON　THE　NUECES。

In　the　United　States　the　peccary　is　only　found　in　the　southernmost
corner　of　Texas。　In　April　1892；　I　made　a　flying　visit　to　the　ranch
country　of　this　region；　starting　from　the　town　of　Uvalde　with　a　Texan
friend；　Mr。　John　Moore。　My　trip　being　very　hurried；　I　had　but　a　couple
of　days　to　devote　to　hunting。

Our　first　halting…place　was　at　a　ranch　on　the　Frio；　a　low；　wooden
building；　of　many　rooms；　with　open　galleries　between　them；　and
verandas　round　about。　The　country　was　in　some　respects　like；　in　others
strangely　unlike；　the　northern　plains　with　which　I　was　so　well
acquainted。　It　was　for　the　most　part　covered　with　a　scattered　growth
of　tough；　stunted　mesquite　trees；　not　dense　enough　to　be　called　a
forest；　and　yet　sufficiently　close　to　cut　off　the　view。　It　was　very
dry；　even　as　compared　with　the　northern　plains。　The　bed　of　the　Frio
was　filled　with　coarse　gravel；　and　for　the　most　part　dry　as　a　bone　on
the　surface；　the　water　seeping　through　underneath；　and　only　appearing
in　occasional　deep　holes。　These　deep　holes　or　ponds　never　fail；　even
after　a　year's　drought；　they　were　filled　with　fish。　One　lay　quite　near
the　ranch　house；　under　a　bold　rocky　bluff；　at　its　edge　grew　giant
cypress　trees。　In　the　hollows　and　by　the　watercourses　were　occasional
groves　of　pecans；　live…oaks；　and　elms。　Strange　birds　hopped　among　the
bushes；　the　chaparral　cocka　big；　handsome　ground…cuckoo　of
remarkable　habits；　much　given　to　preying　on　small　snakes　and　lizards
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；　a　ta