The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-12-17
kill men
and BEASTS.
Fierce Mexican Pigs Travel
in Droves.
Absolutely Fearless When
Making Attack on
Prey.


shreds by the fierce little South Am
erican pigs known as peccaries. ii,
told the story OF his escape to {
Denver Post reporter.
81 wished to secure some plume'
from a number of the beautifully
plumaged birds" said Mr.. Walton
Il went into the jungle and came to {
small opening in which there were
dry leaves. probably a foot in depth
covering the ground, and beautifully
colored tropical birds in the air and
in the trees. Hired at one of the
birds in flight, when it seemed to me
! the whole area of these dead leaves
arose in front and all around me. Be
ing a stranger, naturally | was much
frightened, especially when l saw
the animals which raised up the leaves
apparently ready for an attact. The
older animals opened and closed their
mouths, showing their big. sharp tusk:
formed very much like dirk knife,
and some OF them started toward
me. Impulsively l began firing my
gun in the air, turned around. which
seemed to stop most of them momen-
tarily, and as | had lots of cartridges
| kept up the shooting and they turn
ed and ran away. found afterward
that | had saved my life by so doing,
and by not shooting any of the an
imals.
These animals proved to be the
peccaries, the same species as are in
the Enclosures at the city park. They
are most ferocious, and will attact an
animal in existance on the slightest
provocation. When got back to
headquarters and told my companions
my experience | was informed that had
| shot one of theanimalsand made
him squeal the whole bunch would
have torn me to pieces quickly. They
have been known TO kill bear, jaguars
cattle, horses and any number of dogs
Although in the fight scores of
their number might be killed, they
seem to have no fear when once
aroused.
81 was told that peccaries burrow
under the dry leaves to protect them
selves from mosquitoes and other
winged pests of that hot country. My
friends had many exciting experiences
to tell in regard TO these ferocious
little animals. One OF this party,
while travelling with a companion in
wagon, stopped for luncheon under
some trees and turned their horses
out to Craze. While at luncheon
large bunch OF peccaries appeared, an
the party thought it would be nice
"a shoot among them and get one or
two for meat, so they fired into them
wounding several, which began to
squeal. Then the whole bunch made
An attact. The men climbed quickly
into the wagon, and kept on shooting
as long as their ammunition, which
they had in their pockets, lasted. AS
they were opening their bags to get
moro ammunition, h te peccaries
and jumped into it, and the men only
saved themselves by jumping onto
the trees, the peccaries taking posses
sion OF the wagon and tearing things
to peices. They remained in poses
sion for hours, the men watching ther
Ia safety in the trees"
The peccsry, or South American
wild boar, is the smallest of his spec
lee. averaging about three feet long
nor 10 the animal possessed of any
unusual degree of strenth. To make
up for this natural individual de
ficieney in combat with more power
full animals OF the jungle. the peccar-
Leo always travel in large herds.
When once attacked by a herd of
peocsries the outcome is nearly al
ways 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
tho melee. the herd stay on the Job
until the work Is finished
Travellers in tropical and South Am
erican countries tell Of fierce en-
counters between the peccares and
the jagusr, the monster cat which is
lord of the forest. The jaguar has a
fondness for dinner OF pork, but a
wholesome respect for the power of a
herd OF wild pigs. When he wants to
satisfy his cravings for pork diet he
drops from limb of a tree onto the
back of a straggler in the peccary
herd. The jaguar Stays his victims an
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