The National tribune., 1898-03-10
BY DIR. ]. Ii. PORTER.
CHAPTER Y.

from other species of the Sus genera; but
they are undoubtedly hogs, and about the
fiercest and most revengeful members OF a
family which. although. comparatively
speaking, unintelligent, has always been
distinguished for courage. Brazil is the
center of distribution for this genus, and
herds of these creatures abound throughout
Amazonia. They have the name OF noe
tuTnal animals, yet resemble many others
bearing this designation in being often
abroad by day.
1t is probably the case that amidst
cultivated country most of their feeding
is done at night; while in the wilderness
they may be met with at any time. Not
wit1Standing il is peccarS 5 teeth winch
exhibit one of those striking variations
distingu: S!lng them from the general group
10 which they belong, their tushes partake
of that formidable character common 10 all
such structures in Sudtp, and the species
spoken of possess size, weight, activity
and determination enough 10 use TINS
armatuTe effectively.
The absorbed secretions of those cutane-
Gus glands which give these wild swine
their generic name (dicotyieS) talnI tne
fesl to an extent that makes IL unit Tor
hunan food. JagulrS, however, who are
veg partial to alligators tail and other
eccentric viands. probably eat more pee
carries than anything else except fish and
caDybaraS. This tiger of the Occldent Is a
lazy as a lion and equals its nameSaie OF
Asia in indiscriminate feeding. Through
out tropical America he reigns supreme,
says Locllington Riverside Natural his.
tory the acknowledged ana
dreaded lord Of man and beast Never
theless this pTeemnence does not prevent
him from satisfying his appetite at tle
smallest possible cost OF time ana trouble.
Why hunt venisOn, which he does not APP
preciate, when peccary pork can be obtained
almost without exerdon?
judging f-Ol their conduct, this is the
way in which jaellarS reason, Tor the laZl-
est Of That INDECENT yet fierce and Tor MD
able race live so exclusively on tins game
as TO acquire a DISTINGUISHING title. Ike
cattle lifting tigers in India. Brazilian
Indians call them masters OF the herds;
They frequent favorite feeding grounds
where there is almost sure 10 be band OF
peccaries. and prowl around it until one,
as most commonly happens, strayS some
what apart from its companions. linen
the jaguar stalks tllis uncautious straggler,
and when within spTinging distance, leaps
uDon it. strikes the animal dead with
single blow of his paw, and at once makes
for the nearest tree. There he hhdS
secure refuge. while its enraGed associates,
whom the death scream Immediately gath
ers together, vainly rage about this mac
cess;be position.
Finally. however. these ferocious little
hoTs forget and go OFF; at which time the
tiger descenis. and dimes at his leisure
But woe betide this spotted marauder
when a timely retreat is not made good
He spreads destruction amidst the aveng-
ers. but uselessly; nothing can save him II
he is caught.
We had been tramping nearly all day
through that wretched Camelote grass,
which grows tllicllly on these alluvial flats.
1t is so worthless as forage that only one
animal. the ciliguire, or water-hog, will eat
its coarse, dry blades, sharpened like
knives, and at every step CLOUDS OF pull
lones-silent. poisonous musketoS-and
zancudos a kind which, If they are sting
less, make far more noise, rose up out OF
the miserable tangle and prosecuted US.
At length the ground rose a little, cneno-
podiums grew less thicllly. and trees scat
tered themselves round the rim OF de-
preston, now dry, but when inundatIon
occurred forming "a lake. Here behind cur
tains Of llianaS that yelled the same, an
uproar met our ears indicating fierce con-
fiict between some incautious iaguar ana
herd Of peccaries.
There was no mistalSing the meaning of
these sounds. and none OF us were sur
priSed at what presented itself upon look
ing down into the hollow beyond. Eyi-
IDENTITY this hungry tiger had killed one Of
these wiite-lpped wild pigs too far from
tree. and without acguainting himself per
fectly with the respective positions OF ms
enemies.
They most probably cut him of with a
CttdEtlf1E3A LiC lil liDt ST. lpi II - 9leAiNis
possible that such an animal could have
been overtai5en. In any case, his fate was
sealed. They pressed in on all sides,
seemingly Obvious through ra@e TO any
instinct Of self-preservation. The tiger,
nanglei. disabled or destroyed with fang
and forearm; but il awaited nothing. As
long as one Of his foes could stand, il
dashed at its enemy and gashed him.
lie was clearly growing weak with
wounds and loss OF blood; nor did we wait
LONG before seeing a last desperate rally
overpowered and the fierce beast straigllten
out i'm its death tllroes Nobody, OF course,
interfered To put an end 10 an interesting
and unusual experience; although. as
previously remarked. when the large num-
Der If peccaries destroyed is considered.
and the certainty that If there are enough
Of them and their enemy is CAUGHT, his
own destruction must almost certainly fol-
low like conflicts with similar issues can
not be so rare as one might, at first sight,
suppose.
Our ship lay in cove securely moored
while we were gone. Our crew, taking
advantage Of this interval OF rest from the
opportunities Of such pair as VIC turned
Out to be-ineXplicable lunatics. as our
pursuits showed probably sOrcereTs also,
and certainly both tTeSome and dangerous
had devoted themselves TO making chica
with an assidu'iy which nothing but the
prospect OF getting drunk could have in
spired.
C1ica is any drink in which fermentation
has developed alcohol. The name is a
generic one throughout South America.
Sometimes c'1ica material consists Of roots
or t;Ibers sometimes the innumeraDle va
rieties Of this liquor are made OF grain
honey. or fruit. It signifies little. so long
as an intoxicant can be produced: for that
Prominence which attaches to the effect
itself is shown by a singular custom OF
natives in Northern Peru. who call certain
IL. II
duce inebriation by introducing il through
a tube into the back part OF their nostrils-
Introducing IL into the cerebral cavity"
saws Monsieur Paul Marcy: but his
notions concerning human anatomy seem
20 have been VAGUE.
Capt. Pablo was making chica out of
bananas banana wine as il is called in
Africa where inordinate quantities are
consumed: and, barring their complications
II is manufactured on the dark continent
by set Of people who, drunk sober,
bear much resemblance To cur associates,
except that they are rather more imbecile
and less vicious.
After sleeping the cut-up fruit in water,
and Fastening alcoholic development by
adding a quantity of that coarse brown
sugar made everywhere in these parts.
they strained of their drink into earthen-
ware pots and had an orgie. This trifling
circumstance is only mentioned on account
of those disagreeable consequences which
IL entailcd namely, the fact that we set
sail that same evening in rather worse
trim than usual.
There was an immense reach of clear