176 THE WILD HOG. 



declared against them, aud so tlioroughly were they 

 hunted, that in the settled portions of the State very 

 few are to be found. 



Before speaking of my own interviews ^^ith them, 

 I shall quote Mr. W. P. Smith's account of his capture 

 of two peccaries, premising that Mr. Smith was sent 

 out in 1841 by the late Earl of Derby for the purpose 

 of procuring living animals for the Earl's collection at 

 Knowslev. 



Mr. Smith savs : — * The two I send you are the onlv 

 ones I have heard of since my arrival in this country. 

 I happened, with the assistance of a person, to find 

 out their lair, which is always in some hollow tree, 

 although they have many sleeping-places. Being late 

 in the day, I was determined not to disturb them 

 until a more favourable time would present itself, as 

 I was anxious, if possible, to procure them alive. 

 Some time passed, and everything being ready, the 

 dogs soon compelled them to make for home, when, 

 they having entered, we secured the entrance of their 

 hole, and cut a large opening up the body of the tree, 

 a few feet above them, from which " point of vantage " 

 we were enabled easily to drop a noose round their 

 necks, which we tightened until we thought they were 

 nearly suffocated ; we then drew them out, tied their 

 legs and feet securely, and fastened their mouths by 

 binding their jaws together with cords, and then left 

 them lying on the ground for a time. On our return. 



