102 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



were also frequently troubled by a nasty nullah, with steep 

 and treacherous banks, winding in a tortuous manner through 

 the line of country which the pig almost invariably took ; 

 and in many parts, the cactus and milk-bush hedges grew to 

 the height of eighteen and twenty feet too thick for a horse 

 to crash through, but open enough below to allow of the pass- 

 age of a boar. 



We had a good meet here one fine morning, the attend- 

 ance being larger than usual, owing to the proximity of the 

 cantonment. Several pigs had been marked into some low 

 hills covered with neem-trees, and having in parts a strong- 

 undergrowth of bair-bushes. They were started, and made 

 off across the rice-fields at a great pace. We were soon after 

 them, and before long, a gallant officer was seen to get a 

 frightful header over a high double bank. The sounder 

 broke into twos and threes, and I found myself, and two other 

 men, after a stout young boar. He made for some enclosed 

 fields, and dashed through an eighteen feet hedge. Thinking 

 I saw an opening, I rode at it and crashed through, landing 

 in a narrow lane, minus my stirrups, which had been drawn 

 out of the catches by the resistance of the hedge, which was 

 strongly laced with creepers. Having readjusted the stirrups, 

 I again mounted and put my horse at the hedge on the other 

 side, and somehow we struggled through ; but by this time 

 my two companions and the boar had got a long start of 

 me. I had some difficulty in getting up to them, and only 

 did so in time to see the spear taken. The boar was only 

 slightly pricked, and getting close to the side of a high over- 

 hanging hedge of cactus, he held on at a good pace, and, by 

 crossing through where he found an opening underneath, left 

 us a long way behind. Finding a gap, we again closed with him. 

 He was now very savage, and as we came up he shortened 



