v BOAR AND TIGER FIGHT 109 



' dodger ' boar. Hardly were the words out of his 

 mouth when there was a rush behind us, accompanied 

 with the grunting growls of the very same boar. Out he 

 rushed over the open space, every bristle up. Just as 

 I put up the gun there was a growl like distant 

 thunder ; a yellow mass slid over the bubbling torrent 

 that lined the sholah, bounded up the rise, and with 

 one awful spring, launched itself on to the old boar's 

 back. Over the two rolled in a deadly struggle. At 

 first the old boar seemed to hold his own, and inflicted 

 one or two ferocious gashes in the tiger's breast, but it 

 was only for a moment. Driven mad with fury, the 

 awful paw rose and then descended with a muffled 

 crash on the old boar's back, and the next instant 

 those dreadful fangs were deeply buried in the gallant 

 old pig's throat. All this happened almost before we 

 could draw breath. Oh that I had waited to see this 

 grand fight out ! but all the coolness was driven out of 

 me at the suddenness of the sight. Coolness in one's 

 room at home and coolness standing within 20 

 yards of a royal tiger and a mighty boar in mortal 

 combat are two very different things. Hardly taking 

 aim, I let fly, and both barrels went into something ; 

 but the fight still went on. So engrossed with her 

 object, the infuriated beast never heard the shot or felt 

 the bullets. She was now shaking the boar, just as a 

 dog does a large hare. Presently the wounds she 

 had received began to tell ; she got weaker and 

 weaker, let go the boar, and slunk off to the sholah. 

 The boar, finding himself free, toddled off, staggering 

 like a drunken man. The tiger, when she got to the 

 torrent, pulled up and looked round her, and for the 

 first time discovered our presence. As she did so she 

 exposed her full broadside, and B. most imprudently 

 fired at her. Whether he hit her or not I cannot say ; 



