The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-10

AiioA hihB dltcr tne Trap was competed.
We were to take turns watching, day
by day. Benton undertook to watch
the trap the first day. and went home.
We hoped to capture at least one hog
every day.
Before eleven o'clock that forenoon
Benton appeared at our house, very
hot and much out of breath from run.
ming. He could hardly speak, and
wasted no words.
Pulled the string on fvel" he gasped.
Get knife md mule and gun, and come
quick! They are foamin' round awful
lyl Guess we shall have to shoot 'emi
Hurryl hurryr'
In five minutes was on the way,
urging my mule to the top of his speed.
Benton got his own mule and gun and
overlook me.
We approached the corral from the
opposite side of the creek, and securing
the mules on that side, waded across
and peeped into the trap.
Sure enough, there were five porkersI
Evidently they had Gained down a lit
tie, for they grunted softly as they de-
vourcd the remains Of the heap Of
acorns. But seeming US, or sighting
us through chinks in the fence, thew
began to dash around, springiug up the
sides OF the corral SO ferce1y that we
saw plainly it would be altogether I'M
safe to enter the Enclosure before shoot
ing them. There was an old boar In
the group. They were yearlings and
two-year-olds, apparently, weighing
from hundred to two hundred pounds
each From running in the swamp
they were all nearly as black Us bears.
We loaded our guns with ball, and,
taking aim between the posts, shot the
pigs one by one. All five came down.
squealing terrifcally.
had never dressed hog before, but
we both knew that it was necessary
TO bleed them Immediately. Laying
down our guns, we climbed into the
pen, got out our knives and proceeded
to this least pleasant portion of the
business.
The squealing was frightful. We had
got to the third victim only when we
became suddenly aware of q commotion
in the woods outside.
BILL" cried Benton, STRENGTHENING
up to listen, there's q whole drove
,a-coming, old boars aud alll THEY'RE
coming to tho rescue, just rs they do
when bear tackles hog in the
swamp!"
Above the outcry which the SUFFERING
'porkers inside the pen were raising we
could now plainly hear the barking and
roaring OF the approaching drove. It
was terrible noise; the underbrush
cracked as if forest fire were running
through it
"Whew! You don't suppose they can
f,y-fl II ,, 4
ton, turning pale.
That's more than know said I.
"But If they do break In, shall break
out pretty quickl"
We had scarcely moro than uttered
the words when the drove came foam
ing up the creek to the very gate of the
trap. They stopped an instant, an
old boar barking like bulldog, oand
then all scurried around the fence ON
the creek side, through mud and voter.
Here they suddenly stopped short
again, as if to locate their distressed
brethren, then dashed around the north
end of the corral and up the high bank
a little way above.
Again finding themselves wrong, thew
turned and came dashing along the ton
of the bank. on the land side of the
pen; and then they all charged head
long down over the bank into the cor
raj.
Before the first hog had struck the
ground inside the pen I was we'll on
my way to the top of the corral fence,
and Benton had climbed q small oak
tree that stood within the Enclosure.
Great jingo!" cried Benton from the
tree. Isn't that old tuslxer big one2
See the foam Ayl Bill, there's more
than twenty of them! Will the fence
stop emp"
II think it will" said Are you
all safe?"
81 reckon am" he answered Then
he looked down at the wild hogs foam
ing around the base of his small tree.
swapping their jaws; and my sense of
humor made me laugh in spite of myself
However, l presently did better for
Benton than laugh at him. I slipped
down on the outer side of the pen, and
getting strong pole, pushed it over
the top of the corral into the oak where
he was roosting, and by the aid of this
pole he was able to get to the fence.
Now was our time. We loaded our
guns and opened fire on the drove in
side, disabling the old boar first Of all
For half an hour the unearthly din of
shooting and squealing kept up. In
Guiding the five which Benton had
shared at first, there were now twenty
four hogs in the trap. Several of them
were old settlers, nnd quite fat and
heavy.
We worked fast and hard during the
rest OF the day and most of the night to
secure the pork. 1t made a fine lot of
bacon, and although we never met with