The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-13
THESE PIGS ARE
UGLY IN BATTLE.
Mexico's Peccaries Kill Both
Men and Beasts
ENGINEER HAS CLOSE CALL
Life Saved BY Shooting In the Air.
Animals Are Small, Fierce and
Fearless-Cllmb Trees For
Protection.
ENGINEER HAS CLOSE CALL
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
In one of his journeys into Mexico
Edward W. Walton, a mining expert,
had a close call from being sliced to
shreds by the fierce little South Amer
can pigs known as peccaries. He told
the story of his escape to Denver Post
reporter.
II wished to secure some plumes
from a number of the beautifully plum
aged BIRDS" said Mr.. Walton. 81 went
into the jungle and came to a small
opening, In which there were dry
leaves, probably a foot in depth, cover
ing the ground and hundreds of beau
tifully colored tropical birds in the air
and in the trees. fired at one of tire
birds in fight, when 1t seemed to me
the whole area of these dead leaves
arose in front of and all around me-
Being a stranger. naturally, L was much
frightened. especially when I saw the
animals which raised up the leaves ap-
parently ready for an attack. The OLD
er animals opened and closed their
mouths, showing their big, sharp tusks,
formed very much like a dirk knife
and some of them started toward me-
Impulsively l began firing my gun In
the air and turned around, which
seemed to stop most of them momen-
tarily. and as L had lots of cartridges,
1 kept up the shooting and they turned
and ran away I found afterward that
had saved my life by SO doing, and by
not shooting any of the animals.
viii XIII Bear and Jaquar.
These animals proved to be the pee
carries. the same species as are in the
Enclosures at the City park They are
most ferocious. and will attack any ami
NAL in existence on the slightest provoca-
ton. When got back to headquarters
and told my companions my experience I
was informed that had 1 shot one of tho
animals and made him squeal the whole
bunch would have been on to me and
would have torn me to pieces quickly.
They have been known to kill bears.
jaguars, cattle, horses and any numbers
of dogs Although in the fight scores of
to have no fear when once aroused
II was told that peccaries burrow I'M
der the dry leaves to protect themselves
from mosquitoes and other winged pests
of that hot country. My friends had
many exciting experiences to tell in re-
gard to these ferocious little animals
One of this party, while travelling with a
companion In a wagon, stopped for lunch
con under some trees and turned their
horses out to gaze While at luncheon
a large bunch of peccaries prepared, and
the party thought it would be nice to
meat, so they fired into them, wounding
several, which began to squeal. Then
the whole bunch made an attack The
men climbed quickly into the wagon. and
kept on shooting as long as their ammu-
milton, which they had in their pockets,
to get out more ammunition the peccaries
climbed up the tongue Of the wagon and
jumped into 1t, and the men only saved
themselves by jumping onto the seat and
then onto limbs Of the trees, the peccaries
taking possession of the wagon and tear
ing things to pieces. They remained in
possession for hours, the men watching
them in safety In the trees"
They Stay on the Job.
The peccary, or South American wild
aging about three feet long, nor is the an
imal possessed of any unusual degree OF
strength. To make up for this natural
| individual deficiency in combat with more
powerful animals of the jungle, the pee
] carries always travel In large herds. When
| once attacked by herd of peccaries the
outcome is nearly always death to their
enemy. The little pigs are armed with
short, sharp tusks and no matter how
| great the slaughter of their own number
during the melee, the herd stay on the
| job until the work Is finished
Travellers in tropical and South Amer.
| lean countries tell OF fierce encounters
between the peccaries and the jaguar
the monster cat, which is lord of the for
est. The jaguar has fondness for din
ner Of pork, but q wholesome respect
for the power OF q herd of wild pigs
When he wants to satisfy his craving
for pork diet he drops from limb Of
. tree onto the back Of a straggler In the
peccary herd. The jaguar Stays his vic.
tim and then retreats hastily to his tree
before the herd can get at him. When
the herd grows tired Of waiting for him
TO come down and moves along. the jag
uar descends and enjoys his meal al
leisure Edmund selous, in his romance
Of the animal world. has an interesting
account OF q hght between jaguar and
. herd of peccaries. The peccaries had
the 1aguar freed on the limb of a tree
from which the bark had rotted away
He was only few feet above them
and by harrassing and jumping at the
enemy they finally succeeded in bringing
| the conflict to the ground After the
wounded peccaries, but the jasuar wal
] literally torn - pieceA