332 A WILD HOG-HUNT IN TEXAS. 



breath, and with all the strength that remained in my 

 body sprang upward. I succeeded in getting upon the 

 limb, and the next moment I had crawled along it, and 

 sat in close by the trunk. I breathed freely I was safe. 

 It was long before I thought of any thing else than rest- 

 ing myself. I remained a full half hour before I moved 

 in my perch. Occasionally I looked down on my late 

 tormentors. I saw that instead of going off, they still re- 

 mained upon the scene. They ran around the root of 

 the tree, leaping up against its trunk, and tearing the 

 bark with their teeth. They kept constantly uttering 

 their shrill, disagreeable grunts ; an odour, resembling 

 the smell of garlick, which they emitted from their dorsal 

 glands, almost stifled me. I saw that they showed no 

 disposition to retire, but, on the contrary, were determined 

 to make me stand a siege. 



Now and then they passed out to where their dead 

 comrade lay upon the grass, but this seemed only to bind 

 their resolution, for they always returned again, grunting 

 as nercely as ever. 



I had hopes that my friend would be up by this time, 

 and would come to my rescue; but it was not likely 

 neither, as he would not "miss" me until I had remained 

 long enough to make my absence seem strange. As it 

 was, that would not be until after night, or perhaps far in 

 the next day. It was no unusual thing for me to wander 



