THIRTY-TWO BOARS IN A MEET ! 27 



riding along both sides of the grass. Small flags were 

 used on this occasion to denote what sides the pigs 

 went ; red if they went ahead of the line, and white if 

 they broke back. This was the second time I had used 

 flags, and they would be very useful if the instructions 

 were properly carried, but the mahouts are apt to lose 

 their heads and make a mess of it ; so it is better to 

 leave them to their own devices, unless an interested 

 European or native be on the elephants and keep the 

 line in order. 



The line being now ready an advance was soon made. 

 The first part of the grass to beat was rather heavy and 

 intersected by nullahs and ditches, but the waiving of 

 the red rags very soon told us something was afoot and 

 going ahead of the line. The party who were riding 

 along the west side of the grass saw a pig quietly come 

 out of the grass and go into the bil, but seeing the riders 

 he did not make a long stay in it, and was soon out of 

 it making straight for the open. The order to ride was 

 now given, and Lord Beresford was soon alongside the 

 boar ; but a nasty khal, with very soft mud at the bot- 

 tom, had to be negotiated. The pig got across all right 

 as he ran down the bank and jumped the narrow bed. 

 Lord William, who was following him, was not so for- 

 tunate ; his horse stuck in the mud and rolled over with 

 him, and it was with some difficulty that he extricated 

 himself and pulled his horse after him ; the rest of the 

 party, who were more knowing, went round across a 

 bridge that was higher up the khal. Lord Beresford had 



