PIG-STICKING 29 



requires, I must say, great practice and skill 

 and a particularly sure hand. 



You must not imagine that pigs such as these 

 allow themselves to be speared peacefully and 

 quietly. On the contrary, they frequently make 

 a brave onslaught upon the rider's horse. I, 

 myself, when I was hunting at Muttra with the 

 Royal Dragoons, had a huge wild boar between 

 the legs of my little Arab. The horse bit and 

 kicked at the pig like a mad thing. I could not 

 get a chance for a single thrust. I have to 

 thank the cleverness of mv little Arab horse that 

 we came as well out of the business as we did. 



The most unpleasant part of this sport is 

 the finish. The boar is as a rule tremendously 

 tough and does not give up easily. My instinct 

 as a sportsman was pained at the sight of 

 the poor plucky beast with three spears in its 

 quivering hide, making a slow and fighting end. 



And yet the gallop after the quarry and the 

 first successful thrust — well, that is sport ! 

 But not a sport for old maids. 



