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CHAPTER IX HUNTING A light noise interrupted the sound sleep of the visitors. It was just beginning to get light when the aged father of Jose Chuc gently pushed the door from the outside, entering the hut where his son and the young Jacinto slept. When he saw that the hammocks were moving the old man spoke –Good morning son, good morning Jacinto. Did you sleep well? Excuse me for waking you up, but after you went to sleep last night, some friends and family came to invite you on a "p’uuj" that they have organized in your honor. I did not want to wake you. I can understand you needed to rest so I accepted for you. I hope you won’t let me down. Their intention should be a motive of satisfaction for all of us. Jacinto became alert as he listened to the old man. He really felt like sleeping more, but he understood that his godfather couldn’t refuse, so he got up quickly to fold up his hammock and get himself ready. His godfather spoke to his aged father. It will be a real pleasure to take part in the "p’uuj", it will be dawn soon, we have to hurry. In the main house breakfast was being quickly prepared, a few minutes later they were enjoying a hot meal. Then they prepared the shotguns and the gourds for water, the "mecapales" and the "pozole" for the battue, which could go on until midday. Lola gave Jacinto a "sabucan" with supplies and with a kind smile, she wished him good luck in the hunt. The square of San Francisco was in a row before dawn. The beaters had already gathered when the morning star rose to top of the trees and dawn break. The dogs were restless and barked nervously as if they felt the adventure. The aged Don Felipe went with his son and Jacinto to where the group was waiting for them. After the old man wished them good luck the group left in good spirits. An hour later the straight line of hunters and the "malixo’ob" moved rapidly away from the village toward the Southwest to a clump of ramon trees just a league away where there was an abundance of deer, wild pigs, pheasants and turkeys, that would soon be prey for the shooters. The march went quickly and quietly, interrupted only by some funny story of things that had happened in other occasions. Jose and Jacinto could hear some of the anecdotes, flavored with good humor and wit, and made them chuckle.
Riviera
Caribe Maya Hotel, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Mexico When the rays of the sun filtered through the thick foliage, the rhythm of the march was reduced. Soon the chief of the beaters stopped and gave the instructions signaling with his hands the way that the beaters should go and the area that they should cover. A little less than half of the group went into the ramon forest, each one calling the dogs, that followed them barking loudly. The men tried to keep the dogs quiet threatening and scolding them. A few seconds later the group of shooters entered into action, when they no longer heard the march of the beaters. Without wasting any time, they advanced toward the South posting themselves in places previously assigned by the beat leader, where they will receive the animals. Jacinto and Jose were given the best places since they were the guests. They placed themselves at a distance of 5 mecates from one another. In less than half an hour everything was ready for the battue. Jacinto was used to this, he squatted, behind the trunk of a beautiful "chakaj" tree, cleaned his gunshot and after preparing he loaded it with a 5 deep. He looked carefully around him recognizing every detail and getting oriented. He imitated a partridge. He whistled to the east, when he received an answer, he whistled to the west. He kept absolute silence and quiet and straining his ears, he tried to listen for the shouts of the beaters and the barks of the dogs in the distance. Meanwhile in his mind, he went over that things that had happened since he left his village Tok’tuunich. He imagined that he was in the woods around his village he observed the vegetation and
mentally compared the songs of the birds, the chatter and the strident noises of the parrots. Suddenly all the creatures were silent as he heard far off, the clamor of the beaters extending through the south-east side. For an instant the imagine of Lola crossed his mind, surprising him extraordinarily. The barking of the dogs was getting louder, on and off, as did the shouts of the beaters, it seemed like they were going directly toward the middle of the line precisely where Jacinto and his godfather were. Then the clamor pointed toward the east, he wasn’t too happy about that because the sunlight would be directly in his eyes. He though that if an animal came that way, he would have a hard time aiming at it. The noise was coming toward them again. There wasn't any doubt, and calculating the distance it could be more than 10 or 15 mecates from them. Then Jacinto the loud flapping of wings over the branches of the tall trees from the noise he figured that it was a flock of peasants. He tried to distinguish among the high vegetation some siluette but he didn’t see anything. A few second later, he heard 5 shots fired almost simultaneously, with tensed nerves he was
scrutinizing the ramon forest, when he saw a "habente", coming directly toward him, but still out of range of his shot-gun habente. He cocked his gun, but the deer detoured toward the east, and as he had feared, leaving him with the sun in his eyes. The shot from his godfather’s rifle and the sound of the animal thrashing in the brush, let him know the animal didn’t get through the line of shooters. Instants later, shots more or less nearby,
guaranteed that the "beating" had been a success. He hadn’t had an opportunity and was a little disillusioned, when the sound of flapping wings made him look up, where he could distinguish of beautiful "K’aambul". Carefully he aimed and fired. The animal fell to the ground. Jacinto breathed deeply with satisfaction at having bagged something. After a few minutes more of waiting, he realized the "beating" was over. Soon everybody was gathering, bringing the game animal two deer, seven peasants, one (tejón) and three wild pigs were the morning’s booty.
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