148 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



her in the cypress covert, when she broke back, and, in the 

 centre of a small clear space of ground, was met by one of 

 our party who was cantering up to join us. He rode fair at 

 the pig, which never swerved an inch, but charged straight at 

 the horse. The steed was fresh, and tried to jump over her ; 

 but the sow, without slacking her pace, seemed to throw up 

 her head, and just touch the horse on the hind leg as she 

 passed on. The jump given by the horse caused the rider to 

 miss his spear, and, as he turned to follow the pig, we saw a 

 clean cut, five inches in length, down the shank of the hind 

 leg. The horse was of course laid up for some time. 



On another occasion I pursued a boar which had been driven 

 from a cane-field. He crossed the bed of the Samburmuttee 

 river soon after I had slightly pricked him, and we were 

 thoroughly splashed by the time we reached the other side. 

 The boar was a heavy one, and lazy, and I was soon along- 

 side of him. On being again speared, he stood at bay. Turn- 

 ing my horse, I walked towards him, and, as I advanced, he 

 charged. He was, fortunately, very groggy, and, missing his 

 stroke, he stood under my horse's neck. In vain I tried to 

 shorten my spear, which was dripping with water, and slipped 

 through my hand ; and, after several tosses of his head, the 

 boar struck his tusk into my horse's chest. At that moment 

 he was killed by a thrust from another of our party. Dis- 

 mounting, I found my horse streaming with blood from a deep 

 but narrow wound, which we only staunched by pinning the 

 sides together, and binding them up with thread. 



There was a good covert for hog at Kheenjah, about eight 

 miles south of Dholka. I was encamped there in the hot 

 season of 1855 with Bulkley, and walking out one morning 

 near the tents, we came on the fresh tracks of a goodly boar 

 leading into a sugar-cane field. A few beaters were collected, 



