About the wild hogs of the Mainland, in various provinces.

Translated by Kendal Simmons ‘23

There are many large herds of hogs naturally found in the Mainland, Castilla del Oro, and the province of Cueva, which they call chuche; the Indians in other provinces call them baquira. As they roam together in herds, other animals do not dare attack them because despite their lack of canines, they bite so strongly that they can kill dogs with the force of their jaw. These hogs are somewhat smaller and hairier than ours, covered in a rough bristle. Their navel is positioned near the middle of their backbone and their hind legs do not have two hooves, but rather one on each foot. When they become enraged or angry they beat their jaws or snouts so quickly that it emits the sound of a rattle, similarly to what storks tend to do with their beaks. In every other aspect, they are like our hogs. When the Christians encounter a herd of them, they seek refuge on top of some rock or large log, which might not be more than three or four spans above the ground. From there, as the hogs pass, the Christians wound two or three or as many as they can with a spear and, with the help of the dogs, some of the hogs end up dead. Hogs can be very dangerous when found in groups like that, especially if there is no place from which the hunter can wound them, as previously mentioned. Sometimes they are found and captured as piglets when the females separate themselves from the herd to give birth. Also, they have a nice flavor and are found in abundance as wild livestock.