334 A WILD HOG-HUNT IN TEXAS. 



Another idea rose in my mind, and that was, that 1 

 might serve the whole gang as I had done this one. His 

 fall had not frightened them in the least ; they only came 

 nearer, throwing up their snouts and uttering their shrill 

 notes ; thus giving me a better chance of hitting them. 



I repeated the loading and firing. Another enemy the 

 less. Hope began to return. I counted my bullets, and 

 held my horn up to the sun. There were over twenty 

 bullets, and powder sufficient. I counted the peccaries. 

 Sixteen still lived, with three that I had done for. I again 

 loaded and fired loaded and fired loaded and fired. I 

 aimed so carefully each time, that out of all I missed only 

 one shot. When the firing had ceased, I dropped down 

 from my perch in the midst of a scene that resembled a 

 great slaughter-yard. Nineteen of the creatures lay dead 

 around the tree, and the ground was saturated with their 

 blood. 



The voice of my friend at this moment sounded in my 

 ears, and turning, I beheld him standing, with hands 

 uplifted and eyes like a pair of saucers. He was perfectly 

 astounded. 



