CHAPTER XIII. 



HUNTING PECCARIES IN TEXAS — A BEAR-HUNT WITHOUT 

 THE METAPHYSICS. 



Naturalists are very fond of calling our American ani- 

 mals cowardly. This sweeping statement is only a partial 

 truth ; and I, for one, have got tired of hearing it reiterated. 

 The animals of this continent were originally just as ferocious 

 towards man, — if that's what they call bravery, and the fear 

 of him cowardice ! — as were any of the most formidable of 

 the Eastern hemisphere, in proportion to the size and strength 

 of the races. 



Our forefathers, with their terrible rifles in hand, found 

 our wild beasts quite sufficiently disposed, for their comfort, 



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