hunting the grisly and other sketches-第25章

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stumbled　on　them　early　one　morning　while　out　with　a　dog。　After　half　a
mile's　chase　the　three　peccaries　ran　into　a　hollow　pecan　tree；　and　one
of　the　cowboys；　dismounting；　improvised　a　lance　by　tying　his　knife　to
the　end　of　a　pole；　and　killed　them　all。

Many　anecdotes　were　related　to　me　of　what　they　had　done　in　the　old
days　when　they　were　plentiful　on　the　ranch。　They　were　then　usually
found　in　parties　of　from　twenty　to　thirty；　feeding　in　the　dense
chaparral；　the　sows　rejoining　the　herd　with　the　young　very　soon　after
the　birth　of　the　litter；　each　sow　usually　having　but　one　or　two　at　a
litter。　At　night　they　sometimes　lay　in　the　thickest　cover；　but　always；
where　possible；　preferred　to　house　in　a　cave　or　big　hollow　log；　one
invariably　remaining　as　a　sentinel　close　to　the　mouth；　looking　out。　If
this　sentinel　were　shot；　another　would　almost　certainly　take　his
place。　They　were　subject　to　freaks　of　stupidity；　and　were　pugnacious
to　a　degree。　Not　only　would　they　fight　if　molested；　but　they　would
often　attack　entirely　without　provocation。

Once　my　friend　Moore　himself；　while　out　with　another　cowboy　on
horseback；　was　attacked　in　sheer　wantonness　by　a　drove　of　these　little
wild　hogs。　The　two　men　were　riding　by　a　grove　of　live…oaks　along　a
woodcutter's　cart　track；　and　were　assailed　without　a　moment's　warning。
The　little　creatures　completely　surrounded　them；　cutting　fiercely　at
the　horses'　legs　and　jumping　up　at　the　riders'　feet。　The　men；　drawing
their　revolvers；　dashed　through　and　were　closely　followed　by　their
pursuers　for　three　or　four　hundred　yards；　although　they　fired　right
and　left　with　good　effect。　Both　of　the　horses　were　badly　cut。　On
another　occasion　the　bookkeeper　of　the　ranch　walked　off　to　a　water
hole　but　a　quarter　of　a　mile　distant；　and　came　face　to　face　with　a
peccary　on　a　cattle　trail；　where　the　brush　was　thick。　Instead　of
getting　out　of　his　way　the　creature　charged　him　instantly；　drove　him
up　a　small　mesquite　tree；　and　kept　him　there　for　nearly　two　hours；
looking　up　at　him　and　champing　its　tusks。

I　spent　two　days　hunting　round　this　ranch　but　saw　no　peccary　sign
whatever；　although　deer　were　quite　plentiful。　Parties　of　wild　geese
and　sandhill　cranes　occasionally　flew　overhead。　At　nightfall　the　poor…
wills　wailed　everywhere　through　the　woods；　and　coyotes　yelped　and
yelled；　while　in　the　early　morning　the　wild　turkeys　gobbled　loudly
from　their　roosts　in　the　tops　of　the　pecan　trees。

Having　satisfied　myself　that　there　were　no　javalinas　left　on　the　Frio
ranch；　and　being　nearly　at　the　end　of　my　holiday；　I　was　about　to
abandon　the　effort　to　get　any；　when　a　passing　cowman　happened　to
mention　the　fact　that　some　were　still　to　be　found　on　the　Nueces　River
thirty　miles　or　thereabouts　to　the　southward。　Thither　I　determined　to
go；　and　next　morning　Moore　and　I　started　in　a　buggy　drawn　by　a
redoubtable　horse；　named　Jim　Swinger；　which　we　were　allowed　to　use
because　he　bucked　so　under　the　saddle　that　nobody　on　the　ranch　could
ride　him。　We　drove　six　or　seven　hours　across　the　dry；　waterless
plains。　There　had　been　a　heavy　frost　a　few　days　before；　which　had
blackened　the　budding　mesquite　trees；　and　their　twigs　still　showed　no
signs　of　sprouting。　Occasionally　we　came　across　open　space　where　there
was　nothing　but　short　brown　grass。　In　most　places；　however；　the
leafless；　sprawling　mesquites　were　scattered　rather　thinly　over　the
ground；　cutting　off　an　extensive　view　and　merely　adding　to　the
melancholy　barrenness　of　the　landscape。　The　road　was　nothing　but　a
couple　of　dusty　wheel…tracks；　the　ground　was　parched；　and　the　grass
cropped　close　by　the　gaunt；　starved　cattle。　As　we　drove　along　buzzards
and　great　hawks　occasionally　soared　overhead。　Now　and　then　we　passed
lines　of　wild…looking；　long…horned　steers；　and　once　we　came　on　the
grazing　horses　of　a　cow…outfit；　just　preparing　to　start　northward　over
the　trail　to　the　fattening　pasture。　Occasionally　we　encountered　one　or
two　cowpunchers：　either　Texans；　habited　exactly　like　their　brethren　in
the　North；　with　broad…brimmed　gray　hats；　blue　shirts；　silk
neckerchiefs；　and　leather　leggings；　or　else　Mexicans；　more　gaudily
dressed；　and　wearing　peculiarly　stiff；　very　broad…brimmed　hats　with
conical　tops。

Toward　the　end　of　our　ride　we　got　where　the　ground　was　more　fertile；
and　there　had　recently　been　a　sprinkling　of　rain。　Here　we　came　across
wonderful　flower　prairies。　In　one　spot　I　kept　catching　glimpses
through　the　mesquite　trees　of　lilac　stretches　which　I　had　first
thought　must　be　ponds　of　water。　On　coming　nearer　they　proved　to　be
acres　on　acres　thickly　covered　with　beautiful　lilac…colored　flowers。
Farther　on　we　came　to　where　broad　bands　of　red　flowers　covered　the
ground　for　many　furlongs；　then　their　places　were　taken　by　yellow
blossoms；　elsewhere　by　white。　Generally　each　band　or　patch　of　ground
was　covered　densely　by　flowers　of　the　same　color；　making　a　great　vivid
streak　across　the　landscape；　but　in　places　they　were　mixed　together；
red；　yellow；　and　purple；　interspersed　in　patches　and　curving　bands；
carpeting　the　prairie　in　a　strange；　bright　pattern。

Finally；　toward　evening　we　reached　the　Nueces。　Where　we　struck　it
first　the　bed　was　dry；　except　in　occasional　deep；　malarial…looking
pools；　but　a　short　distance　below　there　began　to　be　a　running　current。
Great　blue　herons　were　stalking　beside　these　pools；　and　from　one　we
flushed　a　white　ibis。　In　the　woods　were　reddish　cardinal　birds；　much
less　brilliant　in　plumage　than　the　true　cardinals　and　the　scarlet
tanagers；　and　yellow…headed　titmice　which　had　already　built　large
domed　nests。

In　the　valley　of　the　Nueces　itself；　the　brush　grew　thick。　There　were
great　groves　of　pecan　trees；　and　ever…green　live…oaks　stood　in　many
places；　long；　wind…shaken　tufts　of　gray　moss　hanging　from　their　limbs。
Many　of　the　trees　in　the　wet　spots　were　of　giant　size；　and　the　whole
landscape　was　semi…tropical　in　character。　High　on　a　bluff　shoulder
overlooking　the　course　of　the　river　was　perched　the　ranch　house；
toward　which　we　were　bending　our　steps；　and　here　we　were　received　with
the　hearty　hospitality　characteristic　of　the　ranch　country　everywhere。

The　son　of　the　ranchman；　a　tall；　well…built　young　fellow；　told　me　at
once　that　there　were　peccaries　in　the　neighborhood；　and　that　he　had
himself　shot　one　but　two　or　three　days　before；　and　volunteered　to　lend
us　horses　and　pilot　us　to　the　game　on　the　morrow；　with　the　help　of　his
two　dogs。　The　last　were　big　black　curs　with；　as　we　were　assured；
〃considerable　hound〃　in　them。　One　was　at　the　time　staying　at　the　ranch
house；　the　other　was　four　or　five　miles　off　with　a　Mexican　goat…
herder；　and　it　was　arranged　that　early　in　the　morning　we　should　ride
down　to　the　latter　place；　taking　the　first　dog　with　us　and　procuring
his　companion　when　we　reached　the　goat…herder's　house。

We　started　after　breakfast；　riding　powerful　cow…ponies；　well　trained
to　gallop　at　full　speed　through　the　dense　chaparral。　The　big　black
hound　slouched　at　our　heels。　We　rode　down　the　banks　of　the　Nueces；
crossing　and　recrossing　the　stream。　Here　and　there　were　long；　deep
pools　in　the　bed　of　the　river；　where　rushes　and　lilies　grew　and　huge
mailed　garfish　swam　slowly　just　beneath　the　surface　of　the　water。　Once
my　two　companions　stopped　to　pull　a　mired　cow　out　of　a　slough；　hauling
with　ropes　from　their　saddle　horns。　In　places　there　were　half…dry
pools；　out　of　the　regular　current　of　the　river；　the　water　green　and
fetid。　The　trees　were　very　tall　and　large。　The　streamers　of　pale　gray
moss　hung　thickly　from　the　branches　of　the　live…oaks；　and　when　many
trees　thus　draped　stood　close　together　they　bore　a　strangely　mournful
and　desolate　look。

We　finally　found　the　queer　little　hut　of　the　Mexican　goat…herder　in
the　midst　of　a　grove　of　giant　pecans。　On　the　walls　were　nailed　the
skins　of　different　beasts；　raccoons；　wild…cats；　and　the　tree…civet；
with　its　ringed　tail。　The　Mexican's　brown　wife　and　children　were　in
the　hut；　but　the　man　himself　and　the　goats　were　off　in　the　forest；　and
it　took　us　three　or　four　hours'　search　before　we　found　him。　Then　it
was　nearly　noon；　and　we　lunched　in　his　hut；　a　square　building　of　split
logs；　with　bare　earth　floor；　and　roof　of　clap…boards　and　bark。　Our