Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-12
THE BOARS OF SANTA CRUZ
Hunt in One of the Santa Barbara
Islands.
HUNTERS CHARGED BY BEASTS
An Experience Found Exciting by
Even an EnElishman who Had
Tried PiE-stickinE I'm
., India.

Rosa and santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz Is a mountain range out ct
sea, filled with deep and radiating canons.
The island was visited by Cabrillo in the
sixteenth century, by Vizcsino a century
later and the Russians hunted the sea
otter there In the seventeenth century. But
who placed the p%rogenitors Of the wild
bears on the island, how they came there,
is not known. That they are well estab-
lished and nave developed peculiar traits
is certain.
A party Of hunters in search Of otter and
In6ian relics landed there not long &
and made camp on the beach. The guide,
one Manuel sarto, in turning the cakes one
evening stopped to listen.
what do you hear7' asked one Of the
party.
"ough." whispered the man. wild
boars!'
wild boars?' exclain ed the other. why
didn't you say so before? Wen hunt 'em.
The finest sport in the world"
'sport7' rejoined the Mexican. rs
climbing trees sport7 That's what / do
when l meet a wild boar"
''The sport OF kings" replied the hunter,
who was ar Englishman. II haven't seen
a pigsticking since 1 was in India. We
will try it, Manuel; not you, but we, Ell -"
Isl %senor." answered the Mexican, mot
], but you. But I go II we get horses"
In Search of the BOar.
It appeared that the herders who kept
sheep on the island at this time had horses
at the corral of the little ranch house.
Three were secured and that afternoon the
party. mounted on big Mexican saddles and
armed with rifles, rode up the trail leading
into the interior of the island. They reached
a high ridge. then pitched down into a
canon filled with wild lilac, masses OF
wild rose and the island greasewood and
cactus. There was a we'll worn trail.
doubtless used by the Indians long ago,
and as 1t gradually pitched down the canon
grew deeper, the mountains seemed to shut
in. Now and then flocks OF valley quail
flew UP, the wild doves voice rose on the
air with Its mournful w~ho-who-o-o. and
far away coming up the canon with ryth-
mic measure was the sound Of seas break
ing on the west coast.
Suddenly the canon widened out and a
little valley appeared, with cactus patches
rich In green and brilliant yellow blossoms.
TIL hunters had almost forgotten the OBJ.
tect OF their quest when Manuel's horse
leaped to one side. almost throwing him.
when an oufl oufl oufi like escaping steam.
something big, hairy, bristling and black.
dashed past them.
What's that?" cried the Englishman,
coming down into his saddle again from
somewhere.
Il thought you hod stuck pigs In India
answered Manuel. endeavoring to hold his
branco.
80 / have, but
"Carambal Look outl" shouted Manuel,
as oufl ouf! sounded from the brush. He
come again! He hamstring your horsel'
Back He Comes.
But Is was too late. That cannon ball
OF bristles came bowling over the back
track with a wishl whoof! ouf! ouf! and
the bronco went into the air in lateral
leaps, with which the ordinary tenderfoot
is unfamiliar, To their credit, be it said
the two hunters were not dismounted. One
horse went dashing up the side OF the
canon while the other two ran into tn,
open. where they we're checked quivering
one Of the animals holding up a hoof IL
pain.
THAT was sudden, like the toothache.'
remarked the East Indian pig sticker.
"Tha is the way he u.s." said Manuel
AOh gNN n6GhAH no CIltu 10 the ElQeE u
the canon slope.
NO, but l can hear growing and ouf
outing somewhere. My horse Is fright
ened out OF a years growth. / am goinI
70 shoot that brute on sight"
That's the biggest boar 1 ever see,
answered Manuel. He ugly. You see oil
pig with young In the brush and whe
anything comes along he Jest drop hi
49, - H..N- NJ 49,
There he oomel"
Oufl oufl came kissing out OF the brusl
Thu broncos rsmbled and whirled and IN
hunter on the canon side vainly endeavore
to hold his bronco, facing the canon S
that he could bring his rifle into pla!
But the animal was crazed with fear an
spTang wildly up the side, a bunch
black hair following for several feet. The
the rider let the horse go and turnin
fired into the brush. The pig was see
crashing down.
Our turn nextl' cried Manuel, who hs
frightened his cinch and found that the p
a not touched his horse. but that It hs
run into a cactus bunch.
TuAks OF Prominence.
Presently the hunter up on the eonC
side got his frightened horse down.
IF my horse had stumbled I belize
tha pig would have ripped him up"
said. Did you see himg BristIes on h
back half a foot high tusks four inch
long"
Manuel had dismounted and was cine
ing up the saddles and picking cact
spines out OF his horses legs, After
had finished and listened to the views
the hunters he said;
It's no use three hunting at the sar
time, somebody's bound 10 get shot
thrown. hat pinto horse, he's going
buck the minute he gets his eyes on 1
pig. and it's the biggest boar I have Sc
on the island, old and ugly. / don't wa
TO feel his tusk."
"well. what do you ~suggest2' asked
East Indian pig sticker. II I had a 60
lance l would not mind riding him dow
but this-well, this is different"
II say TAX him one at a time" repli
Manuel and the rest hold Off"
That suits"
The words were not out OF the speake
mouth before a rustic was heard IN I
brush TO the right and with a uremendo
oufi the boar. which evidently had be
sneaking up on them under cover. CA
at the trio like a cannon ball. il cover
the twenty feet between them and