THE STILL HUNT. 129 



me sufficiently high to conceal me from view, I heard 

 the grass rattle furiously, and out dashed an old 

 boar, seeming in a desperate hurry; he ran close by 

 me, giving a malicious lunge with his snout, at me in 

 passmg; I sprung aside in time to avoid the compliment, 

 and gazed after his retreating form with feelings of great 

 indignation. The Spaniards of the coast had turned out 

 some hogs in this neighborhood in previous years, and 

 their offspring, increasing with great prolificness, had 

 become as savage as the boars of the Black Forest. 



Before I had recovered my composure, another hog 

 came rushing past, grunting and tearing along, followed 

 by a whole herd of smaller animals, that thrashed do^vn 

 the grass, and jammed past me in the wildest fright ; as 

 the last one came, I lost all patience, and fired. The 

 crowd was too thick to miss, and I had the satisfaction 

 of seeing one tumble over on its back. 'But my satisfac- 

 tion was short-lived when there swept by me a beautiful 

 deer on a long lope, and running as if playing with its 

 2)ursuer. He came so near me I could have hit him with 

 my gun, and did not see me until directly abreast ; he 

 then rushed onward with a terrified leaj), and was imme- 

 diately lost to vicAV. At this instant I heard Mike fire a 

 shot, but could not see what he had killed. 



When the dog came in, Avhich he did in a moment, on 

 the trail of the deer that had passed me, he seemed 

 much worried, and laid down close at my feet and refused 

 to go out again. I could not account for his singular 

 behavioi*, but, not seeing any more deer on the meadow, 



6* 



