The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-11-21

was seinl-tr"iical III character.
High on a blca shoulder overlooking
the course OF the river was Ierched
the ranch house. toward which we
We're bending our steps: and here we
welr received with the hearty hospi
tn!liE characteristic Of the ranch coun.
try everywhere. The son Of the ranch.
man. Il tall. well.bullt young fellow
told me at once that there were pee.
carries In the ncighborhood. aud that
he had himself shot one but two or
three days before. aud volunteered to
lend US horses aud pilot us to the
game on the morrow. with the help
OF MS two dogs. The last were big
black ours with, as We were assured
considerable hound" in them One
was at the time staying at the ranch
house, the other was four or five miles
on with n Mexican goat-herdeF. and
1t was arranged that early in the
morning we should ride down to the
latter place. taking the first dog with
US and procuring his companion when
we reached the goatlerler's house.
We started after breakfast, riding
powerful cow-ponles, well trained to
gallop nj full speed through the dense
chaparral. The big black hound
slonched at our heels. We rode down
the banks of the Nueces, crossing and
recrossing the stream. Here and
there were long, deep pools In the bed
Of the river, where rushes and lilies
grew and huge mailed garfish swan
slowly just beneath tile surface OF the
water. Once my two companions
stopped to pull mlrcd COW ont OF
slough. hauling with ropes from their
saddle horns. In places there were
half.dry pools. out of the regular eur
rent of the river. the water green and
fetld. Ill" trees were very tall AMI
large. The streancrS Of pale ga
moss hang thickIy from the branches
Of the live-oa;s, and when many trees
thus dfaped stood elise together they
bore a strangely moNrnFn and desc
@aie looE.
We finally found The queer Ii:;Ie In
OF I.e Mexican so;t,- her;l&r IN II.
midst Of 81 grove Of GlaHt rc ans. o
the walls were nailed he s:iGs 9
different beasts. rlpmnnS. wildcat
and the tree-eivet, WITH It's rl"Icl tail
The Mexican's brown vie anl chi
dren were in the hut, but tie mal
himself and tue goats We're off in thu
forest, aud 1t took us three or foul
hours search before We found him
Then II was nearly noon. and W,
luncled in his hut. q square buildl1
of split logs. with bare earth floor, az
roof Of clnp-buards aud bark. Ga
lunch consisted 0t goats meat und pal
de mails Tie Mexican, broad-cllr:t
I'd man with stolid Indian face W.
evidently quite sportsman. .i:d T.
two or three half-s:arycd hJU% $
sides the funny hairless littla l!,a'
dogs. OF which Mc1iohnS srr.n
fond.
Having borrowed the taval!nI no..
of which we were in scar b. We rt
Oh Ia quest Of our game. HE two tI;,
IrollIng gayly ahrad. 9l2 one VII!
had heen living al tie ram Il htd el
DENLY Jared well. and was very III
the other was little else but skin Hn
bone, bnt as alert and knowing as mn
New YORK street-boy, With the sam
air OF dtsreputhbie capacity. II WI
this hound which always did most
finding the Javallnas aud Dringla:
them |" hay. his companion's chile
use NcHE! I" make n"iSe AID lend
the moral support of his presence.
we rode away from the river on the
dry nPfAnds, whore The timber. though
Thick was small. consisting almost ex.
cltlSveIS OF the thorny mosquitoes
MiSen among them were prIckly pears
slalAINS MS hiGh rs our hcals Oh
noFSeoacN. ana Spanish bnSonets. look
lns ID Tie distance IKE small palms:
and there were many other kinds Of
cactus all with poisonous thorns. Two
or three times the dogs got on an old
tran ard rushed OF giving tongue
whcrcat we salloped madIy after them,
"uckins and lodging through and
among tie clusters Of snIne-bearing
trees and cactus. not without getting
!, considerable number Of thorns in our
hands and legs. 1t was very dry aud
bot Where the iavalinas live in
droves In the river bottoms they often
drink ut the pools; but when some dis.