xvn THE BOAR 321 



incidents connected with the hounds and hunting-knife ; but I 

 must confess that after the sport that I have enjoyed, I do not 

 take the slightest pleasure in shooting pigs. It is seldom that my 

 forefinger, paralysed by aversion, can be induced to pull the trigger. 

 Should it disgrace itself by such an act, it is only to procure flesh 

 for some section of the people who desire it ; unless I am in Asia 

 Minor, where I like it myself, stewed with leeks and onions, or 

 "onions and leeks, stewed with wild boar." 



There is one consolation for all who destroy wild hogs they 

 are working for the public good. It is almost incredible, in certain 

 countries where pigs are numerous, to witness the total destruction 

 of crops committed by these animals. I have seen fields completely 

 turned up as though by some agricultural implement, and actually 

 nothing left ; the industry of the cultivator being entirely wasted. 

 Hundreds of wild pigs have been digging during the night in a 

 newly sown field, in search of the grain, which would appear too 

 insignificant for their notice. 



Among sugar-plantations they commit terrible havoc, as they 

 bite the canes to obtain the juice. The wounded portion bleeds 

 and ferments, rotting the cane, and damaging the quality of the 

 sugar. In fact, wild pigs may be classed as only second to rats as 

 destroyers of general produce. 



I have never seen the wart-hogs of Africa in numbers approach- 

 ing to the wild hogs of Asia : probably they are kept down by the 

 lions and leopards. The hysenas would destroy the little ones, 

 although no such enemy would presume to attack a boar. 



The late Vice-Consul Petherick of Khartoum, who was one of 

 the earliest traders upon the White Nile, was, like all the 

 merchants of the Soudan, a collector of animals for the various 

 Zoological Societies of Europe. Among other beasts that were 

 kept in dens around the large courtyard of the Consulate, all of 

 which were more or less insecure, there were two very large boars, 

 with prodigious tusks. During the night one of these brutes 

 escaped from a sty, surrounded by a wall of only sun-baked bricks. 

 Not satisfied with the simple delights of liberty, it at once attacked 

 one of my people, a Tokroori, who was lying asleep upon his mat. 

 This unfortunate was scored deeply by the tusks in so many places, 

 before the animal could be driven off, that he lay helpless for 

 several weeks afterwards. 



A few days after this occurrence, I was sitting, together with 

 Lady Baker, in the large covered " Rakooba," or raised square, 

 ascended by a broad flight of six or seven steps, when I heard a 

 great noise at the farther end of the courtyard, and I saw the 



y 



