Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-10-18
cogon that reached to the horses

l
Filipino companion. ..
] was off General Baldwin" in an
instant and abandoned him to chance
We had surprised them and were in
the very midst of a herd of wild hogs
that were flying wildly in all direc
tions, plunging and floundering in the
thick, tangled grass. One startled
me on my right another in front, an
other on my left. / could hear them
everywhere, but one does not shoot
rifle by ear. Would every one OF
them escape? l was badly ratified
when at last foolish young SOW did
for an instant show herself, dashing
in wild fight across a little opening.
l fired wildly, desperately, with the
feeling that something must be done.
She tumbled headlong, dead as door
nail, her brains blown out.
Knocked me down with feather?
Easily. Never was there such luck,
never such a chance kill; but with a
supreme effort hid my surprise, re-
covered my composure and walked
up in the most matter of fact way,
as if such kills were everyday affairs
with me. From my Moro friends
from behind 1 heard the "Cluck!
cluck! clnck!" of the tongue in the
roof of the mouth. with them the
sign of wonder and admiration.
My Filipino had caught General
Baldwin" and now led him forward to
the dead SOW, but another mounted
member of the party kindly took her
and saved my good mount from the
triple load with which he was threat
ened.
1t was near nightfall. LET us go"
said one, "to the dump; they will
be coming there for supper"
The dump was the depository of
the swill and other refuse of the lit
tie army camps. 1t was at the foot
of mesa-like hill; on all sides cogon,
beloved resort of the wild bog; be-
yond and below broad fringe of for
est, brush and vines on the broken
slopes of volcanic lake. Here were
safe refuge and cover. A stub of
a tree on the mesa slope gave good
view. slipped into it and confident
ly waited for the pig-appetite to fetch
me game; for that appetite, while
the saving, was, knew, also the I'M
doing of all pig-kind. It's omnivor-
BUSINESS enables them to live well
where others starve; but it's sharp in
satiable greed drives them remorsely
to danger and death that others risk
not.
swili; its scent pervade1 the evening
air; covering darkness was nigh
My wait was long.
The sun had set, which in the
tropics means quick darkness. Soon
my eyes could no longer discern any
thing; but after perhaps half an hour
of quiet and darkness, heard fyom
the direction of the dump rustling
in the grass, followed by numerous
little grunts of quiet satisfaction
pigs in friendly converse and con-
graduation. The herd had come.
They had found swill for their stonl-
achs. They never missed their dead
companions nor long remembered the
shots that had lately rung out over
the slopes and breaks.
stealthily slipped from my bush
and crept down through the tai
cogon. They were scattered now, hid
den in the grass and shadows, intent
only on filling their stomachs, dead
to all things else Smack, smack
smack" went their mouths, on this
side and that. How they were enjoy
ing it! ! was right in their midst
But could not see them.
l crept on, peering about with wide
open, strained eyes. AT last | begar
to make out a dark object, a pig in
tent on something, some of the cele
brated commissary roast beef, per
haps, in an old can, which he rollet
and ratified with impatient greed.
sneaked right up to him, clos,
enough, it seemed, almost to prod hin
with my carbine. He was busy, very
l was smiling. 1t was comical.
could hardly keep from laughing out
right, it was such joke on tina
boar. / was half tempted 10 jump :,
him and cry "Boo!" to enjoy his SUI
prise and confusion. But I didn't.
1t was hard to see; aiming was GU
of the question in that shadowy place
so after little / just prodded m.
carbine forward at him and fired. /
flash, a squeak, a plunge in the grass
and quiet. l had missed him.
| 1 stood up, irresolute. 1t was har,
to thus quit the hunt; yet it wa
dark. Would there be moon? Per
haps; l believed l remembered
moon the night before. But who eve
heard of shooting pigs by moonlight
However, crept back to my vantage
on the hill, sent the young dato t,
camp with my game, and waited TO
time.
l was rewarded. Came the moon il
all her silvery tropical splendor, ant
so soon as it was light enough to SET
little, shadowy nose was thrus
out of bunch of grass from the side
of the jungle, hundred yards below
me. 1t was followed by bulky heat
and stalwart shoulders. The nose
was in the air to take the scent. II
was filled quickly with the strons
odor of the swill. Thereupon his
greedy stomach pricked him onward
with a start, to stop again as sudden
ly after a few steps; but only for ar
instant; for nose and stomach quick
ly got the better of caution and or
he came again with a rush, then stop
ped. 1t was plain that he knew the
spot was full of danger, but starting
and stopping, dashing forward ant
hating, alternately driven by greed
and held back by fear, and the in
stinct of the wild, on he came anC
| passed thus fitfully over half the dis
lance between us. Then he stopped
The coarse head, gnarled and knotty
with bnoks, waited and tusked, turn
ed slowly, listening attentively. ant