134 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



'em. Fort'nately tliey cudn't reach, and I thouglit 

 I was safe ; but only see the cunning of those 

 critters. Several of them lay down on their bellies, 

 and others got upon their backs, so as to form a 

 platform, from which a big peccary jumped up, and 

 seized me by the heel of the right boot. I kicked 

 at him with the other fut, like a horse, and whilst 

 we wei-e strugglin', the other peccaries rolled from 

 under him, and left him hangin' on to my heel by 

 his tusks, whilst his friends were gruntin' away like 

 mad all round. They made a most infernal nize, 

 and as my arms were gettin' tired, I was sheered 

 at thinkin' the moment must soon cum when I 

 should have to drop. On a sudden, a gun went off 

 close to, and the nize was so great that I let go, 

 tumblin' slick on to the dead peccary. My friend 

 had kem up, and had knocked it clean over. I 

 picked up my rifle, and together we soon bagged 

 five-and-twenty o' the darned pigs." This story 

 was told with the most imperturbable gravity, and 

 with all the action and expression proper to the 

 narration of so exciting an incident. The bystanders, 

 and especially those who were not very familar with 

 forest life, were quite moved by it. 



Fifteen days later, by a strange chance, I met my 

 friend once more — this time on board the Red Rover, 

 returning to St. Louis. He was surrounded by a 

 group of Kentuckians, and was spinning hunting 3'arns 

 to them at a great rate. I joined the listeners, and 



