294 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



one occasion after Paddy had delivered a spear his horse fell 

 and lay on his legs. In an agony the wounded pig was limp- 

 ing up to be at him. Enter to them Jimmy on a skittish mare 

 which, without more ado, to complicate matters, set to buck- 

 ing. So there they were all three in difficulties. But a blow 

 with the lead end of the spear between the ears brought the 

 mare to her senses. And poor piggy was denied his desire 

 and deprived of his life a few yards from Paddy's head. 

 Another time " Shires " Canning and pig fell together over a 

 blind ditch. They were so near that Shires kicked pig on the 

 snout. A moment longer and the prospects of the family of 

 Canning would have been poor indeed, for Jimmy's spear 

 went through the boar almost between Shires' leg. Again, 

 when poor Bob Hill was lying senseless, his horse having 

 tumbled over the pig, Jimmy came to the rescue. And these 

 instances might be multiplied. Another experience for Paddy 

 was the old Peeprah Jemadar plugging his nose to bring his 

 breath back. The biggest boar ever bagged in these districts 

 (he measured 42 inches) was speared by Jimmy off a 13-2 pony. 

 They mistook him for a young buffaloe at first, as he was seen 

 in the distance lolloping across country. The pony must have 

 been a rare one, for against the two Urquharts and George 

 Llewhellin he secured four first spears that day. George 

 Llewhellin in those years was the keenest rider of them all. 

 Who would suspect him now of throwing over his topee to 

 lighten the burden in a stern chase. Jimmy, even in the 

 madness of youth, was ever careful of his horse and had only 

 one cut, counting it better to miss a spear than to sacrifice 

 the brave animal which trusted his guidance. 



Falls and spills were of daily occurrence in breaking raw 

 horses and in schooling. " Who is this Mr. John who is always 

 smashing his bones?" questioned a reader of the Indian 

 newspapers in London. Any snorting brute which would let 

 a collar over his ears was shoved into the trap. " Come along, 



