390 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



too late to retreat decorously, for lie had already been seen, 

 and as is usual, they came charging headlong upon him, 

 grunting and snapping their white tusks at every jump. 

 It was useless to stop to shoot, taking to his heels was his 

 only chance. lie made for the fence, which he succeeded 

 in climbing before they reached him. The foremost of them 

 reared themselves on their hind legs, endeavoring to reach 

 him, cutting at his feet with their sharp tusks most viciously. 

 It was a loose worm fence, and not very high, and they kept 

 him there for a few moments, dancing, to use his own 

 expression, "like a hen upon a hot griddle," while he fired 

 as rapidly as he could load. He had killed several, without 

 any diminution of their ferocity. It rather indeed seemed 

 to be increased, if possible, when suddenly, to his unutterable 

 consternation, the frail fence broke down, and he measured 

 his length backward, in the cane outside. He sprang to his 

 feet, as you may imagine, with some celerity, and, before 

 they could reach him, over the ruins of the fence, had fairly 

 vacated. After a hearty laugh at this ridiculous misadventure, 

 the preparations for the bear hunt immediately commenced. 



We were soon mounted and under weigh, four of us, and 

 attended by a negro "driver" on horseback, who, with his 

 long cow's-horn swung about his neck, was to "put out" 

 the pack. The dogs were a fine and powerful breed, used 

 exclusively for bear hunting, and came of a cross of the 

 bull-dog on the fox-hound — they were all scarred Avith the 

 tusks of the Peccary and the claws of the bear. On our 

 "way across the plantation my friend was particular in 

 counselling me how to behave in the event of any unpleasant 

 rencontre with the Peccaries — for he assured me flight was 

 my only alternative, unless I desired to have my horse 

 ham-strung, or every leg hopelessly gashed. I promised 

 to be very prudent, of course, but with the opening yell 

 of our dogs, all recollection of the existence of such creatures 

 as Peccaries vanished. 



