282 HOGS DISAPPEARING SUDDENLY. 



The plains are frequehtly intersected with 

 ditches, water courses, small rivers, and buffalo 

 pits, which are often not seen until approached 

 within a few yards, when perhaps too late to pre- 

 vent the horse from going headlong into them : it 

 is therefore necessary to watch the hog narrowly, 

 and if he is seen to take a leap, the hunter is 

 prepared for his horse doing the same ; if he sud- 

 denly disappears, by pulling in the horse in time, 

 the rider will be enabled to examine the cause of 

 his disappearing, and, in all probability, will dis- 

 cover that he is gone into a river, large drain, 

 or some such place, through which he will pro- 

 bably find the same way to pass as the hog ; 

 whereas, if he kept on at full speed, he would 

 run a great risk of breaking his horse's neck or 

 his own. 



