chap. XL DEATH OF ' OLD SMUT: 271 



baying pack.* In vain I cheered them on. I heard 

 no signs of his being seized, but the fierce barking of 

 old Smut, mingled with the savage grunts of the boar, 

 and the occasional cry of a wounded dog, explained 

 the hopeless nature of the contest. Again I cheered 

 them on, and suddenly Smut came up to me from the 

 fight, which was now not ten paces distant, but per- 

 fectly concealed in thick bamboo underwood. The 

 old dog was covered with blood, his back was bristled up, 

 and his deep growl betokened his hopeless rage. Poor 

 old dog ! he had his death-wound. He seemed cut 

 nearly in half ; a wound fourteen inches in length 

 from the lower part of the belly passed up his flank, 

 completely severing the muscle of the hind leg, and ex- 

 tending up to the spine. His hind leg had the appear- 

 ance of being nearly off, and he dragged it after him 

 in its powerless state, and, with a fierce bark, he rushed 

 upon three legs once more to the fight. Advancing 

 to within six feet of the boar, I could not even see 

 him, both he and the dogs were so perfectly concealed 

 by the thick underwood. Suddenly the boar charged. 

 I jumped upon a small rock and hoped for a shot, but 

 although he came within three feet of the rifle, I could 

 neither see him nor could he see me. Had it not been 

 for the fear of killing the dogs, I would have fired 



* It was impossible to call the hounds off their game ; therefore the 

 only chance lay in the boar being seized, when I could have immediately 

 rushed in with the knife. It was thus necessary to cheer the pack totht 

 attack, although a cruel alternative. 



