The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-05


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SNAKE river. on the border OF Idaho, runs
- canyon 100 Test deep. On both sides
tree1ess plain. but ID the canyon. and
especially aioug the spring branches which
Aickh over rocky beds In long srms Of the
canyon. ass junsies Of briers and brush a.
most impenetrAbie. In these sheltered
places Wild hogs md Judgment. and their
oroves are constantly increased from the
iarme,s' pig-pens. So sec are The Wild
noEs from pursuit and cspturs in the
rocky. brush-iined canyons that thsy b.
come very bold The fields are fsrced
witn wire - ruie. and fhev are at
tne mercy OF the maraudera In winter
sne nogs Get very poor and they sometimes
are driven TO the straw and hay stacks TO be
kuied or captured, but unless the ground
freezes very bard they keep fat upon = Wild
root known By the Indian name Of camss.
80 plentiful II this nutritious root that the
hogs are always fat unless the ground Il
frozen II grows under the loose rocks.
ana - long 90 the hungry hog can turn
tnem over he h independent OF ais old
Time masters, even il Gle snow il . foot
deep But when the wheat fields are green
and the gardens are tempting the Wild dem
zen Of the jungle wouidn't be hog II he
did not 20 forth 70 root and destroy.
The happy owner Of one Of the best
ranches IN the fertile valley OF the Snake is
Enos WhiteIey. He has broacd acres of
peach orchard. vegetable garden. grain
nov - sweet and green, ten inches high.
Every night. however. the hogs have been
coming down from their haunts and root
Ing and rioting in the soft, moist meadow.
Whiseley II 20 years OF age. but he takes
pride IN pretty clover meadow, and when
ne observed that every night more and
more destruction was wrought he deter
mined 70 try the effect OF powder and shot
upon the Wild hogs. He went forth in the
evening and stationed himeelf in q cIump
OF ssnali willows on the bank Of an irrigat-
ing ditch, where he had an unobstrncted
view Of tie clover held as the moon shone
out brightly onto the narrow valley. A
faithful and obedient bulldog crouched
with him to await the game.
In short time the hogs came boldly in
through the wire fence. and approached
the eager man and dog. The old man
looked along the barrels OF the old gun.
The Gtinting moonlight gave . good aim,
and the loud report OF both charges fol-
lowed the blaze Of fire which seemed to
reach nearly 70 the unsuspecting quarry.
Then came . scampering and the hoarse
beast was stunned for an instant. and then
II regained its feet. II stood but mo-
ment till the bull dog was upon II. The
feroci0us animals rolled over in fearful
combat. the old man with faith in
the dog. rushed up to encourage
him. forgetting TO reload his gun. The hog
rushed upon the old man. cutting him
deeply in the thigh, and bore him 70 the
ground. The hog and the man we're
scnffiing together for = moment, when the
hog was ihrown down upon its side and
held there After the hog vas secure the
old man must have bis knife II was In his
pocket. To hold the hog and get the knife
was possible. /: was . big dirk, and was
hard TO open. He tried TO
open Il With one hand. and that
was impossible. To loosen the hold on the
hog would be dangerous. He must use his
teeth. He had but one front tooth. Ithad
done service for . lifetime. but II was loose
Of late and could not be used only with
caution. Eut the big knife must be
opened. He planted the only front tooth
upon the blade and pulled. The
tooth gave way ut the root and
pulled the bleeding flesh from over the
jaw. He tried again. and as the tooth--the
last one--twisted and tore the flesh. the
blade OF the knife Was felt to yield. He
pulled, with the blood streaming over his
beard. and the knife was wide open. He
slashed the throat of the boar. and held
him tight while he twitched and died The
old man was exhausted from his wound
and Jaw voluntarily lacerated. After
while he bound up his wound and finished
the dental work and hobbied home, proud
OF his victory and his trophy.