Hog- hunting. 207 



with it from head to feet, I got the full benefit as he 

 lay across me. I kicked, I struggled, and I fear swore 

 frightfully, worse than the fighting chaplain in 

 Peter Simple when boarding the Eussian frigate, 

 but release myself of the load I could not. I have no 

 doubt but that I should have died of the dead weight 

 and the vile odours combined, had not E. come to 

 my help. Alone he was power! ess to relieve me ; but, 

 fortunately, more aid was at hand. A couple of syces 

 joined us ; they seized the brute by the hind legs, 

 while E. got hold of the front, and with a heave ho ! 

 they succeeded in rescuing me. I was a mass of gore 

 and filth from head to foot. As I sat up, my appear- 

 ance was so comical, to say the least of it, that E. 

 burst out laughing, and I, very unreasonably, got 

 " awfully riled," and was about to give vent to my 

 feelings when I noticed a broad grin on the counten- 

 ance of the usually sedate natives. My wrath was 

 dissipated, for I knew that I must be a rum-looking 

 object indeed, for them to so far forget their respect 

 as to laugh at a sahib logue ; so I joined in the 

 merriment, with, I fear, but a bad grace. A "tat" 

 being brought, I transferred the saddle and bridle 

 from the dead horse on to its back and galloped 

 home, and calling my " maty " boy, I quickly threw 

 off my stinking garments, which were ordered to be 

 burnt forthwith. After a good scrubbing I got 

 something to eat, and mounting my gray went off 

 to join the others, who were still out. I found that 

 they had killed three boars and two sows. One 

 horse had been severely cut in the stifle and another 

 had spiked himself badly. So pig- sticking has its 

 dangers, as well as pleasant phases. My comrades 



