A PECCARY HUNT ON THE NUECES. 137 



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 re- 

 spects 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 mes- 

 quite 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 drouth ; they were filled with fish. 



