ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 141 



some respects in our favour, as the pigs were attracted to the 

 cypress in the bed of the river. We left our tents about 

 9 A.M., our shikarees having been out before daybreak. They 

 met us on the ground, and reported that several hogs had been 

 seen in the early morning entering the covert. Soon after the 

 beaters began to move, a well-grown boar left the jungle, and 

 ascending the bank, went off slowly over the open country. 

 We gave him a good start, and then cantered after him. By 

 the 1;ime we topped the bank he was well away, and we now 

 increased the pace and closed up to him. On finding himself 

 pursued, he halted, looked round for a moment, and then went 

 off at score. We now went at him in earnest, and both being 

 well and evenly mounted, we had a most exciting chase. The 

 pace was good throughout, and the boar ran true for some dis- 

 tant sanctuary, which he was doomed never to reach. I had 

 got the best place, being on his left quarter ; and as I made 

 a rush at him, I made sure of the spear, but with a sudden 

 swerve he shot across my front, nearly upsetting my horse, 

 and I missed him. He was less fortunate with Bulkley, who 

 stopped him with a thrust behind the shoulder, and as the 

 blood streamed from his mouth we saw that his race was run. 

 He struggled gamely on for a short distance, but my second 

 attempt was more successful, and poor piggy was laid low. 

 We were now joined by our grooms and a few beaters, the 

 main body having been quietly drawn out of the covert by the 

 shikarees as soon as the pig broke away. The boar was slung 

 on a pole and carried back to the river ; and having breathed 

 our horses we remounted and returned to our old places. On 

 reaching the high bank which bounded the cypress covert, we 

 observed a monster boar crossing the broad shallow stream, 

 and making for a patch of cypress of some extent on the other 

 side. In a position commanding a full view of this covert, 



