4 THE WILD BOAR. 



rustling of bushes ahead of us followed by a dead silence. Just 

 as I was about to start down hill the hunter clutched my sleeve and 

 pointed across the ravine, and there some 200 yards away was a fine 

 pig hun-ying up tlie bare hillside. I was somewhat out of breath with 

 my recent climbing buti there was no time to be lost and I took aim 

 and fired. The hunter declared that the pig was hit, but except for 

 a slight diminishing in his speed, I could see no sign to prove that 

 my bullet had found its mark. Next moment the pig had reached 

 the top of the ridge and disappeai'ed. We rushed down the hillside 

 regardless of thorns, and torn clothes, and climbed the opposite slope. 

 On reaching the top two spots of blood on a rock told us that the pig 

 was hit. 



Then began a long and arduous chase. Following the trail with 

 difficulty we skirted round the head of one ravine, crossed a ridge at 

 the top and descended into a wood where the pig was once more put 

 up. With an angry grunt it broke away down hill, and again we saw 

 it climbing the opposite slope. This time we could see a dull red 

 patch on the flank. I tried some more shots and had the satisfaction 

 of seeing the pig fall and lie kicking. We thought the chase was end- 

 ed, but had reckoned without our quarry. The pig suddenly scram- 

 bled to its feet once more and continued up hill till it again crossed 

 the top and vanished. This ascent was worse than the last one and must 

 have been some four or five hundred feet. At last we reached the top, 

 but found that the trail of our pig had got mixed up with several 

 other recent ones. I sent the hunter along one of the freshest and 

 chose anotlier n^yself which led along the side of a ridge. Presently 

 there was a blotch of blood in one of the foot prints, and. 1 knew I' was 

 on the right scent. 1 hurried along through the pines and larches, and 

 presently became aware of my quariy standing amongst the trees some 

 twenty yards above me. I could see the evil look in its wicked little 

 eye, but, before it could make up its mind whether to charge or to seek 

 safety in flight, I had sent a bullet through its neck, just behind the 

 ear and it dropped. Even then it made desperate efforts to rise, so I 

 w^as obliged to send a revolver bullet into its heart. On examination 

 I found that the pig had been hit in the flank, had had the right leg 

 shattered and had got a ball lodged in the right fore foot, but in spite 

 of these wounds had led me a chase of some two miles over country 

 of the roughest and most difficult nature. 



The following narrative is another example of the endurance of 

 these animals. It was in the same country a^ that which I have 

 just mentioned. For some days there had been persistent reports of 

 a large sounder of wild swine lead by an enormous white boar. 



