They had four incisors on the upper jaw, and six molars on each side above and below; while the tusks, although smaller than a pig’s, are much finer and sharper, inclined slightly backward, and closely overlap each other. Some of the bodies of the animals measured thirty-six inches in length. They are more slender in build than the common pig, and covered with long, stiff bristles, colored with alternate rings of gray, light-brown, and black. These colors vary with the size and age of the animals, and as either one predominates, they cause the animal to appear either brown, gray, or black; the largest we found was almost entirely black, whereas the smallest had quite a brown appearance.
During the battle I could not help noticing the apparent method of their movements, as though they were led by chiefs. It appears that their mode of attack on such an occasion as they favored us with is to surround in silence, by a complete circle, the object to be stormed; when, at a given signal, a simultaneous snapping of teeth takes place, followed by a general converging rush to the centre, whereby the largest and strongest reach the front first, and the smallest bring up the rear; their retreat is carried out on an equally methodical system. There is a small, red species known by the Guarany name of caëitatu;[B] our friends are known by the Brazilian cognomen of queixadas, or porcos de matto.
From what I had witnessed during the past night, I can quite understand how these courageous animals in large numbers are capable of surrounding and destroying a powerful jaguar; and if my dog Feroz had fallen among them, he would doubtless have made a brave fight, but he would not have had the slightest chance of escape, and fortunately for us the ropes of the hammocks did not break, as hammock-strings will sometimes do at untoward moments, otherwise I should not be here now to tell this tale.
But now, from the camp-fire, comes the odor of roast peccary, for parts of them were already roasting for breakfast, and emitting a vastly more acceptable odor to what they did when alive. When ready, it is needless to say that, after the long night and in the keen, dewy morning air, how appreciated were our visitors when cooked, and there was not the slightest trace of the objectionable odor.
[Shortly afterwards the hunters met another tenant of the Brazilian wilds.]
As several peccaries had crossed our path lately, José and the Don cut three long straight bamboos; to the ends of each we fastened our sharp-pointed knives, for the purpose of pig-sticking. But the first use we had for our lances was for a different animal; our dogs had suddenly disappeared into the tall grass, barking loudly, and a few moments afterwards a huge ant-bear came rolling out into the open semi-marsh land, followed by the dogs; it went at a good pace, but with most extraordinary and ludicrous movements. It became then very interesting to watch the sagacity of the dogs, as they hung well on to his rear, trying to seize only the tail of the animal, and keeping well out of reach of his powerful fore-legs armed with tremendous claws. The dogs, however, were evidently losing their caution and getting closer, and the cumbersome beast had already made some particularly rapid blows in attempting to rip the dogs. Fearing a possible disaster to my faithful Feroz, we galloped on, but it is amazing the speed these cumbersome ant-bears can develop. We had to put our animals to their sharpest paces to come up with the quarry, when we had the opportunity of fleshing our lances. The bear died hard, lying on its back and striking out with its fore-legs. The men cut portions of the flesh to eat, but when afterwards prepared, I found it too strongly flavored with formic acid to be agreeable, and the dogs refused it.
It then occurred to me that the incident of the discovery by the Don of the robbery of a bees’-nest some days ago might possibly be explained by it having been taken by an ant-bear, and not by a prowling stranger as he supposed.
[The hunt of the ant-bear was followed a few days afterwards by a peccary-hunt, which proved a much less safe occupation.]
A little farther on, in a wide shallow depression, was our host’s favorite hunting-ground (where he had often found considerable quantities of peccaries), an immense burityzal that extended apparently from the Chapadas to the Rio Preto.
We halted at José’s request and listened, and soon distinctly heard the grunt of the porcos among the buritys, where they feed on the fruits of the palms that form their favorite food.