140 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



rode that pig well ! I had no right to take that spear ! It 

 was an awful shame !" With that he commenced shaking me 

 violently by the hand, and pouring forth expressions of admira- 

 tion and respect. It would have been amusing for a looker- 

 on to see two Britons standing by their reeking horses, in 

 the bed of the Indian river, shaking hands over the gory 

 carcass of the dead boar. 



We were returning to our camp one evening after a 

 day's hunting, and I was riding alone in advance of the rest 

 of the party when I heard shouts behind me, and presently 

 saw the caps of some of the riders bobbing along on the far 

 side of a high hedge. I stood wondering what to expect, when 

 a large porcupine came bolting through the hedge and ran 

 across a field. I gathered up my reins and rode at him, but 

 his quills were rattling, and my horse did not seem to know 

 what to make of him. At last I managed to spear him ; but 

 before I could turn my horse again, he disappeared into his 

 burrow. The other sportsmen now came up, and with them 

 a number of beaters. 



About sixty yards off was a stream of water, running from 

 a well to a neighbouring sugar-cane field. All hands were at 

 once set to divert the runnel to the porcupine's hole, which 

 we succeeded in flooding. The wounded beast, together with 

 two or three others and a civet cat, bolted out and was slain. 

 We had some of the porcupine's flesh cooked for dinner, much 

 to the disgust of our servants, who looked on them as unclean 

 beasts. The flesh seemed white and good, and I believe if it 

 had had fair play in the kitchen, we should have liked it well 

 enough ; as it was, I did not care much for it. 



A favourite meet was at Suheej, a few miles farther down 

 the river. I was camped at this place with my friend Bulkley 

 in the month of May. The heat was intense ; but this was in 



