PORTUGAL 249 



approaches the wild boar from l^ehind, jumps upon it, orips with 

 his knees, as in a vice, the flanks of the animal, and, while grasping 

 with his left hand the thick mane on the creature's chine, plunges, 

 with his right hand, the knife into the animal's body behind the 

 right shoulder-blade, between the first and second ribs, killing it almost 

 instantaneously. This he does with such courage, dexterity, and 

 accuracy, that never has a wild boar hunted by his pack escaped 

 him ; and he has never once, in these deadly struggles, suffered 

 the least injury, though his hounds have at times been fearfully 

 wounded. 



These podengos, far from common in the peninsula and com- 

 pletely unknown in the rest of Europe, are beautiful dogs, not unlike 



Arabian dogs, the best being of one colour onlv, 



Podengos. 

 large-bodied, very swift, with a head like a wolf's, with 



a sharp muzzle, bright eyes, ears erect — large at the base and tapering 

 to a point — a slightly arched back, tail raised in the form of a sickle, 

 loins and legs very strong so that they can easily jump through high 

 and dense undergrowth. The chest, though not so low as that ot 

 the greyhound, is still sufficiently low (as they are much more ener- 

 getic) to enable them to compete advantageously with it in short 

 runs and on rough ground. Admirable dogs they are, full of good 

 qualities, of excellent hearing and sight, scenting at a great distance, 

 and working courageously through the thickest undergrowth. 



This manner of hunting with podengos has been so long in vogue, 

 that our friend the Count of Ficalho remembers having heard his 

 father speak about the celebrated Malhadeiro da Neta,* with whom, 



* A Malhadeiro is the proprietor of a small house in the midst of a wild region. 



