In that year, however, it was suddenly discovered that their hides had a market value, being worth four bits--that is, half a dollar--apiece; and many Mexicans and not a few shiftless Texans went into the business of hunting them as a means of livelihood.

They were more easily killed than deer, and, as a result, they were speedily exterminated in many localities where they had formerly been numerous, and even where they were left were to be found only in greatly diminished numbers.

On this particular Frio ranch the last little band had been killed nearly a year before.

There were three of them, a boar and two sows, and a couple of the cowboys stumbled on them early one morning while out with a dog.

After half a mile's chase the three peccaries ran into a hollow pecan tree, and one of the cowboys, dismounting, improvised a lance by tying his knife to the end of a pole, and killed them all.
Many anecdotes were related to me of what they had done in the old days when they were plentiful on the ranch.