The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-09-19
Wild Hogs IN Arizona.

The widest of wild hogs live both
above and below Yuma, on the Colora-
do river. While the steamer was lying
at Castle Dome landing few days
since, loading with ore, fine band of
them on the opposite shore came down
10 the river To feed on the banks,
where the grass and weeds were green,
and TO get drink of water. They
paid no attention 10 the beat nor TO the
Indians at work. After loafing around
for awhile an old boar came out Of the
brush, and on spying us gavea "swish"
and away they all went. Hardly a
dav passes that the Indians and cattle
men do not run upon them. These
bands seem TO be more timid than
ugly.
When the late Thomas Blythe was
trying Ia settle colony at Lerdo, Al
miles below Yuma, on the Colorado, he
sent down large number of fine full
blooded Berkshire and Poland China
pigs and turned them loose ON the
banks of the river near Lerdo, where
they live on the roots, weeds, tules and
mesquite beans; bred and kept fat and
filled the low and tule lands with a
large number of fine pOrkers. Never
seeing a human being, except now and
then lone Indian, they soon became
wild and wilder still, and scattered un-
til the lowlands and woods were full of
them.
Notwithstanding that the coyotes
slaughtered the little ones in great
numbers, they have increased until il
is estimated that at the present time
there are more than 10000 of them
roaming up and down the Colorado
and Hardie rivers, from their mouths
up as high rs the tide runs, or from 90
to 80 miles this side of the gulf.
They go wherever they please. Moth
ing stops them in their course. When
the Colorado is at its flood, they will
cross il from shore TO shore, even near
the Hardie, where il is four miles wide
when at its highest gague. Their
range gives them the finest feed-wild
sweet potatoes, tules, stray fish, CLAIMS,
dead turtles and seaweed along the riv-
er bank at low tide.
They are unmolested, except now
and then by hunter who finds his
way down the river. Most of the hun
tiers give the wild swine II wide berth,
except now and then as they happen
to spy nice little roaster on the bank
and within easy rifle shot.
A few years ago a man and his fami-
" were living few miles below the
| colony on the bank of the Colorado,
who had a pair of fine, large stag
hounds, which the owner claimed
could run down and kill any wild hog
in that region. One day he took the
dogs and rifle and went for a nice little
one, just right for the oven. He had
not gone far before he found large
band of hogs and turned his dogs loose
on them. No sooner had they started
when out of the tules near by jumped
an enormous boar, monster, who,
with mouth open, paving no attention
TO the dogs, made for the hunter. The
latter drew up his rifle and fired, but
on came the boar, the dogs nipping
him at every jump.
The hunter fired second shot, but
on came the beast The hunter turned
and ran for mesquite tree few yards
distant, the hog close to his heels. He
dropped his gun and ran for life, grasp
ing limb of the tree just rs the hog
grabbed his pants and tore one-half of
them from him, but he was safe, just
out OF reach. The dogs all this while
ran grabbing the hog by the hind legs,
to which the beast paid no attention.
The mad boar seized the bark of the
tree ia his great tusks and tore it into
shrcls. Finally he turped upon the
dogs, instantly killed one and wound
ed the other 50 that it died soon after.
He then turned his attention to the
tree where sat the hunter. He guard
ed him until il was dark. Twice did
the man get down and try to get his
rifle, but his foe was on guard and
drove him back up the tree. During
the night the boar left. Daylight came,
and 80 did help. The men had hardly
reached the river and got in their boat
when down came the old hog after
them in vain pursuit.-.SdR francisco
Chronicle.