The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-01-26
THE VICIOUS PECCARY.
A Fierce Creature Is the South
American Wild Boar.
HE IS SMALL, BUT FEARLESS

tie With q Jaquar.
During one of his journeys into Mex.
leo Edward w. Walton, q mining ex.
pert, had a close call from being sliced
to shreds by the fierce little South
American pigs known as peccaries. He
told the story Of his escape to a Den.
yer Post reporter.
II wished to secure some plumes
from a number of the beautifully plum
aged BIRDS" said Mr.. Walton. II went
into the jungle and came to a small
opening in which there were dry
leaves. probably a foot in depth, COW
ering the ground, and hundreds of
beautifully colored tropical birds In
the air and In the trees. fired at one
Of the birds in flight, when it seemed
to me the whole are Of these dead
leaves o in front of and all around
me. Being a stranger, naturally / was
much frightened, especially when
saw the animals which raised up the
leaves apparently ready for an attack.
The older animals opened and closed
their mouths, showing their big, sharp
tusks. formed much like a dirk knife,
and some of them started toward me-.
1mpulsively I commenced firing my
gun in the air and turned around,
which seemed to stop most Of them
m%omentarily, and as I had lots of car
tridges I kept up the shooting, and
they turned and raj away. I found
afterward that I had saved my life
by so doing and by not shooting any Of
the animals.
"These animals proved to be pecca.
ries. They are most ferocious and will
attack any animal in existence on the
slightest provocation. When ! got
back to headquarters and told my COM
panions my experience l was Informed
that had I shot n of the animals and
made him squeal the whole bunch
would have been on me and would
have torn me to pieces quickly. They
have been known to kill bears, 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.
II was told the peccaries burrow un-
der 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 lit
tie animals. One Of this party, while
travelling with a companion in a wag-
on, stopped for lunch under some trees
and turned their horses out to craze,
While at lunch a large bunch Of pee
carries appeared, and they thought it
would be nice to shoot among them
and get n or two for meat, so they
fired into them. wounding several.
which commenced to squeal. Then the
whole bunch made an attack. The men
climbed quickly into the wagon and
kept on shooting so long as the am
munition which they had in their
pockets lasted. AS they were opening
their bags to get out more ammunition
the p%eccaries climbed up the tongue
OF the wagon and jumped into it, and
the men saved themselves only by
jumping on to the seat and then on to
limbs of the trees, the peccaries taking
possession Of the wagon and tearing
things to pieces. They remained in
possession for hours, the men watching
them from safety in the trees"
The peccary. or South American wild
boar, is the smallest of his species, av-
eraging about three feet long, nor is
the animal possessed of any unusual
degree Of strength. 10 make up for
the natural individual deficiencies in
combat with the more powerful ami
mails Of the jungle the peccaries al
ways travel in large herds. When once
attacked by a 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 W num-
Der during the melee the herd stay on
the job until the work is finished.
Travellers in tropical and South
American countries tell of fierce en-
counters between the peccaries and the
jaguar. the monster cat which is lord
Of the forest. The jaguar has a fond
ness for a dinner of pork. but a whole
some respect for the power of a herd
Of wild pigs. When he wants to sat
isfy his cravings for a pork diet he
drops from a limb of q tree on to the
back Of a straggler in the peccary
herd. The jaguar Stays his victim and
then retreats hastily to his tree be-
fore the herd can get at him. When
the herd grows tired Of waiting for
him to come down and moves along
the jaguar descends and enjoys his
meal at leisure. Frederick Selous in
his romance Of the animal world has
an interesting account Of a fight be-
tween a jaguar and a herd of pee.
carries. The peccaries had the jaguar
freed on the limb Of a tree from which
the bark had rotted away. He was
only a few feet above them and by
harassing and jumping at their enemy
finally succeeded In bringing the con
'fict to the ground. After the fight
was over there were eleven killed and
wounded ~Deccaries. hnt tho IN u,,or was