330 A WILD HOG-HUNT IN TEXAS. 



one of them, I think the first that had appeared, rose sud- 

 denly into the air, and with his four hoofs held close 

 together, came pounce down upon the coiled body of the 

 snake. Another followed in a similar manner, and 

 another, until I could see the long carcass of the reptile 

 unfolded, and twisting over- the ground. After a short 

 while it lay still, crushed beneath their feet. The whole 

 squad then seized it in their teeth, and tearing it to pieces, 

 devoured it almost instantaneously. 



From the moment these peccaries had appeared in sight 

 I had given up all thoughts about the turkeys. I had re- 

 solved to send my leaden messenger in quite a different 

 direction. Turkeys I could have had at almost any thae ; 

 but it was not every day that the peccaries appeared So 

 I " slewed" myself round upon the log, raised my rifle 

 cautiously, "marked" the biggest "boar" I could sec in 

 the drove, and fired. 



I heard the boar squeak (as so did all of them,) and 

 saw him fall over, either killed or badly wounded. But 

 had little time to tell which, for the smoke had hardly 

 .cleared out of my eyes, when I perceived the whole gang 

 of peccaries, instead of running away, as I had expected, 

 coming full towards me ! 



In a moment I was surrounded by a dark mass of ugly 

 creatures, leaping wildly at my legs, uttering shrill Brunts 

 and making their teeth crack like castanets. 



