CHAP. XIV. 



A DESCRIPTION OF THE METHOD OF HUNTING WILD 

 BOARS, AS FOLLOWED BY EUROPEANS IN BENGAL 

 AND ITS DEPENDENCIES. 



HOG hunters differ in opinion respecting the 

 length the shaft of a spear ought to be, as also 

 with regard to the size and form of the iron part. 

 Some use very long spears, and others prefer 

 shorter. I recommend long spears, for the follow- 

 ing reasons. A short spear, when thrown, is apt 

 to rebound against the horse or rider, and although 

 it may be carried through covers with more ease 

 than a long one, it is more liable to injure the 

 horse by being turned against him ; and in case 

 of a fall from a horse, there is considerably more 

 danger from a short spear than from a long one. 

 A short spear requires less skill to throw, but a 

 long one does the most execution. From all 

 these circumstances, I consider their best length 

 to be about seven feet, including the iron part, 

 which should not exceed a foot in length. The 



