Hog-hunting. 205 



better, if at all, than the wild beast to which he is 

 opposed. 



Our steeds were utterly done up, so we sent them 

 to camp, and ordered other nags to be brought, for 

 we resolved to remain where we were. F. and A. 

 now joined us, having followed and lost a boar in a 

 jheel close by ; in consequence, it was determined 

 that he should be driven out as soon as the beaters 

 could be assembled. It was getting late when we 

 espied the coolies and horses approaching. The cover 

 was rather extensive, and the boar would not break ; 

 yet the beast had cut one of the beaters, so we 

 rode in, keeping line with the men. Presently 

 away went F. and A. through the long grass to the 

 right, and we were undecided whether we should 

 follow, when we espied a boar looking at us ; he was 

 all but hidden by the stems which had fallen down, 

 and under which he had crawled, but his long snout 

 and twinkling little vicious eyes betrayed him, so, 

 getting to his right, to cut him off from heavier 

 shelter, we laid on. I suppose our appearance was 

 not very intimidating, for he simply trotted ahead, 

 occasionally looking back at us. The cover was so 

 dense that our progress was not great, but it was fast 

 enough to keep him from dodging or giving us the 

 slip in the undergrowth, so perforce he had to take 

 across the open. The beast had been lying in some 

 mud hole, for he was plastered with a thick coating of 

 slime that shone brilliantly as he moved ahead. 

 After covering a lot of ground we got close enough 

 to spear him. I was on the country-bred, as near 

 almost as E. to the pig, when he " jinked" to the 

 right, and E. struck him over the bridle reins, but 



