178 THE WILD HOG. 



towards me. I had just time to drop my empty gun, 

 and swing myself up a tree, as the two passed rapidly 

 underneath, viciously snapping at the place which, ten 

 seconds before, had been occupied by my legs. 



I believe that my gun's report disturbed them when 

 they were feeding ; and that they were in full retreat 

 for their den, between which place and them I was 

 standing. 



The next time I saw any I was on the Brazos Eiver 

 with Colonel Compton, a planter, whose dogs began 

 baying at the mouth of a large fallen hollow log. At 

 the entrance of the hole protruded the head of a 

 peccary. The animal was churning its jaws till they 

 were w^hite with foam ; and so resolutely did it seem 

 determined to defend its den, that Colonel Compton's 

 fierce bear-dogs dared not approach. The Colonel shot 

 the peccary in the forehead, and killed it. I was 

 about to go forward and pull it out, when the Colonel 

 told me I had better not, as most likely there were 

 more there. After loading his rifle, he cut a long 

 grape-vine, and, forming a noose with one end of it, he 

 managed, after a little trouble, to poke and twist it 

 forward, till he got it over the pig's head, and so hauled 

 the carcase away. No sooner was this done, than 

 another peccary's head took up the position of the 

 former one ; and in this way the Colonel killed seven — 

 all that were in the den. 



Three or four years went by, after seeing these. 



