258 KEMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 



neared the water, diverged a little, took the 

 stream, which he waded and swam across, 

 giving two or three grunts, as if he found it 

 refreshing. I then saw it was a boar — Me- 

 leager's own Calydonian never looked so savage. 

 I felt his tusks already in my groin. I could 

 have run away, but I didn't ; so I clutched my 

 gun, cocked both barrels, and awaited my foe 

 with grim determination. Then, as he mounted 

 the bank on which I stood, just as he was 

 topping it, and his head and shoulders were 

 over it, I blazed both barrels at once at him, 

 dropped my gun, and hopped like a squirrel 

 into my tree, thinking that, being a boar and 

 not a bear, he could not climb after me. 



All was still — as one of the songs of the day 

 said, — 



" Every leaf was at rest, and I heard not a sound." 



Thinks I to myself, " If he meant mischief he 

 would have turned by this time.') I dropped 

 out of my tree, crept cautiously on, expecting 

 I don't know what. When, about fifteen yards 

 off, lo ! there lay the beast dead, all but the 

 quivering of the limbs, with a large hole drilled 

 in his body, as the four balls had gone in behind 

 the shoulder and through him. 



Don't think meanly of me, ye glorious 



