Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-01-14
EXCITING ADVENTURES OF 4 HUNTER IN
ARKANSAS.

Few men are aware that there are such
things as wild hogs in this country, but such
is the case, however, little the fact may be
known.
Not long since Jim Reynolds and myself
were on deer hunting expedition on one
of the numerous bayous that jut into Red
River, in the Southeastern part of Arkan-
sas We had with US two dogs, and were
trailing along the bank of the bayou-the
dogs some two or three hundred yards in adj
vance. All at once the dogs began to bark
and there arose the greatest CONSERVATION
imaginable. 1t did not take us long to de-
termine the cause of all this commotion, as
the dogs soon hove in sight, fighting and re-
treating toward us.
Attacking them was drove of wild infu-
rated hogs, some of them so large and fero-
cious that grizzly bear would be little more
formidable. To say that they would strike
terror to the bravest heart is but to make an
assertion that would receive immediate cre-
dence of the reader should he ever be
brought face to face with them.
What was to be done? Here they came,
with deafening and unearthly noise, their
every bristle projecting forward, eyes red
dened with rage, froth dripping from their
long tusks, ready to rip open any one or any
thing that offered combat,
We stationed ourselves by the waters
edge so as to be ready to take to the bayou
in case of our guns failing to check them.
When they were about fifty yards from US
we encouraged the dogs to stand their
ground, and SO they did for a short time
until one of them was struck by very large
boar, and literally ripped open, the poor
creatures entrais falling to the ground be-
co.o 1, nf q
hasty retreat toward US, closely followed by
these maddened monsters.
We were armed with double-barreled
breech-loading guns, one barrel rified and
the other shot, rifles 3S calibre and our shot
cartridges contained No. shot. The re-
naming dog had been so disabled that we
could expect but little if any assistance from
him. 1t was all he could do to take care of
himself, and rather questionable about his
being able to do that for any considerable
time.
l suggested to Reynolds that we give
them volley from our four barrels at once,
and perhaps it would so discomfit them that
they would retreat. This we did when they
were about two rods from us, and, although
we felled some three or four to the ground
and crippled others, they seemed more en-
ragged than ever, and were on us before we
could reload our guns. The only thing left
for us to do was to take to the water (and
which we Immediately did. Abandoning
our guns, we plunged in and swan to the
opposite shore, the live dog taking kindly
to our example.
The bayou at this point was about four
rods wide. After crossing, we each selected
tree which would be easy to climb in case
the hogs should cross after us. Several
times l imagined that they were about tC
cross, but the dog now having ceased to bark
and lain down, while we concealed our.
selves behind the trunks of large trees, theil
rage seemed to assuage, and they presently
moved off down the bayou.
Some little time after they had disappear
ed among the thick timber of the bottom
we swan back to our guns. After making
an examination of the hogs we had dis
patched, we concluded that we had had al
the bottom hunting that we desired thai
day, and struck out for the uplands.
We learned that these wild hogs abounc
in considerable numbers along the bottoms
of Red river and tributary streams in thi:
locality. These hogs belong to the ''razol
back' breed and grow to an enormous size
feeding principally on the mast of the bot
toms and adjacent uplands. We were alst
informed that had it not been for our dog:
they would probably not have given us any
trouble, but would quietly have withdraw
on our approach.
The tusks of the largest one that we killed
(an old boaD projected fully fourinches from
the jaw, curving outward and upward from
their base on the upper jaw, and upward
and outward on the lower jaw. They are
frequently hunted in the fall and winter
after the mast has fallen, and they have be
come fattened on it, and make, it is said
fair bacon.
Were it not for the fact that the hog chol
era makes frequent ravages among them
the bottoms would swarm with them, anc
it would he dangerous to travel there. A:
it is, one feels safer at a distance than among
them, especially if you have dogs with you
which they are certain to attack if they
come within sight. In the drove that we
encountered there were fully thirty, the
greater number of them large, and mus
have been four or five years old. Ipresume
also, that overfows destroy very many O.
them.
If there is anything to be dreaded more
in the woods than an attack of wild hogs ir
considerable numbers, l have yet to learr
what it is.