Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-26
UARpOONING HOGS.
A Central American sport which Gives
Plenty OF Excitement.

H'hty w 'AN''N''''"'
All the members OF our party were
at peace with themselves and sll tho
world until the ubiquitous guide made
discovery which turned his yellow
face to an asheu hue and brought him
from the stream where he had gone for
water, yelling; "Chanca del montel
Chanca del monter'
A slender-legged hog was trotting
about fifty paccs In tho frightened
mans rear. II had . couple Of glitter
ing white tusks on either side OF its
jaw, which 1t proceeded to whet on the
roots OF q walnut tree in which Rafael
took shelter.
Climb, climb, senorsr' he exclaim-
ed as soon ss he was safely out Of reach,
"there is plenty Of them coming.
Take up much powder and much shots.
or they will keep us treed until we
starve."
But the scnors did no, mean to be
treed at all. They recognized In the
animal the hog against which the hsr-
poons were to be used, and, instead OF
leaping into tree. they got into the
saddle and unstrapped the spears.
which were beside the guns on the
mules backs ready for the march.
A patter Of little feet In The forest
told that RAfael's plenty Of them"
were coming. and Dsvys spurred st
once toward the brute, which Was still
grunting al the foot Of the walnut tree.
when 1t saw me coming Il trotted
toward me, and IL took all the strength
In my left hand to keep my mule from
turning tall and boiling. but kept her
head well 10 II and. as the boar closed
With US. my blade caught him ai the
base Of his skull aud shaved away the
skin along bis spine clean to the tail
1t was awkward work for green hand.
and IL the mule had not SHE'D violently
to one side the rush Of the pig would
have certainly broken ha foreleg. The
first taste Of the harpoon seemed to
make the brute furious, and. with blood
streaming down bis side, he came back
at ma. gnashing his tusks like The rattle
Of q pair OF bones at the minltrels. This
time | missed him altogether, and his
sharp teeth took . couple Of square
inches Of skin from my mules off fore-
leg. But 1t the third charge gave
him the harpoon square In tho eye He
reared up On he hsunche and fell over
backward, taking the lAnoe out OF my
hand in his fall
.'By this time Smith hsd closed with
the leaders OF the drove, which had
broken cover when they beard the
struggle going on. and saw there was
no time TO get out Of the saddle and
| pick up my spear. 30 tore my gun out
Of the fsstenings which held IL TO the
saddle behind me and put charge OF
| buckshot into the throat OF bristly
| boar which was goring Smiths mule
in the rear. After that I had all could
do TO take care S myself Tho little
beasts-nonc Of them bigger than Al
| ordinary bulldog-came at ms like q
whirlwind, and for tho next ten min
U;es | expected TO be thrown into the
middle Of them. Tho mule was doing
her level best TO unseat me. and all the
| indications pointed TO her being brought
TO the ground with broken legs. The
| skin Was torn from her shaDks in rib
bons. and If had gone down it would
have been all day with me.
| Smith soon saw that the case wa
too serious 10 trust TO the hsrpoons
| any longer, aud after sticking onc
through the neck he threw the spear
away and joined me at thinning tbs
| drove out with his rifle. This wa
much quicker work. and after we haC
bowled over six and wounded severa
more the whole party became panic
stricken and raced away in the wood
like so many deer
When the coast was clear Rafse
| a H. -
at the dead hogs and then At us, will
an expression Of reverence on his face
'El Norte ests diabolo,' was all he said
For . man who knows how to han
die lance or . harPoon, pig-stickin!
may be good sport; but for my part
would not venture into the midst OF
drove Of Central American hogs with
harpoon as my only weapon for cles
utle-deed to the whole country."-Cm
cssaGa Enquirer.