246 ACROSS MONGOLIAN PLAINS 



Chinese, crossed the mountains. On the summit of a 

 ridge not far from the village we met eight native hunt- 

 ers. Two of them had ancient muzzle-loading guns 

 but the others only carried staves. Evidently their 

 method of hunting was to surround the pigs and drive 

 them close up to the men with firearms. 



We persuaded one of the Chinese, a boy of eighteen, 

 with cross-eyes and a funny, dried-up little face, to 

 accompany us, for our two guides wished to return 

 that night to Kao-chia-chuang. He led us down a spur 

 which projected northward from the main ridge, and 

 in ten minutes we discovered five pigs on the opposite 

 side of a deep ravine. The sun lay warmly on the 

 slope, and the animals were lazily rooting in the oak 

 scrub. They were a happy family a boar, a sow, and 

 three half -grown piglets. 



We slipped quietly among the trees until we were 

 directly opposite to them and not more than two hun- 

 dred yards away. The boar and the sow had disap- 

 peared behind a rocky corner, and the others were 

 slowly following so that the opportunity for a shot 

 would soon be lost. Telling Smith to take the one on 

 the left, I covered another which stood half facing me. 

 At the roar of my rifle the ravine was filled with wild 

 squeals, and the pig rolled down the hill bringing up 

 against a tree. The boar rushed from behind the rock, 

 and I fired quickly as he stood broadside on. He 

 plunged out of sight, and the gorge was still! 



Smith had missed his pig and was very much dis- 

 gusted. The three Chinese threw themselves down the 



