84 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



apart, and well away from the boar. He went quietly for about 

 half-a-mile, and then seemed to think he had gone far enough, 

 for he stopped and faced round. He was in front of me at 

 the time, and was hid by some low bushes. My friend called 

 to me to look out, and at that moment the boar came charging 

 straight at me. I had no time to get under weigh, but my 

 pony behaved admirably, and stood like a rock. As the boar 

 came on, I planted my spear in the top of his neck, just 

 behind the head. The blade and a foot of the shaft were 

 completely buried, but he gave a wrench and snapped the 

 bamboo short off. I turned to a horseman who was with us, 

 and who should have been carrying spare spears, but he had 

 none, and when I looked round, the pig had disappeared. 

 Where he went I cannot say, but I never saw him again. I 

 thought then, and I think now, that had my companion done 

 his duty, he should have finished him. The jungle was thin, 

 and there was nothing to hide the pig ; my friend was, more- 

 over, well mounted, and had seen me deliver my spear, so he 

 had no excuse. I was much vexed, for the boar was a rattler, 

 with long white tushes. We hunted about for some time, 

 but could find no trace of him, and as by this time we 

 calculated that the beaters would be in the covert, we 

 moved on, to intercept any pigs which they might start. 



We had not been long by the covert-side before a 

 fine young boar broke across the open ; and this time I 

 had no chance of a spear, for my friend was better mounted, 

 and a good rider to boot. The boar held 011 till he came 

 to some thin cypress jungle, over which we raced him, 

 but were thrown out by some nasty creeks. He dashed 

 through these, sending the mud flying in all directions, and 

 by the time we had managed to cross where the bottom 

 was sounder, he was far ahead. He then slacked his pace, 



