RIDING A PIG 65 



My experience holds good in this respect as regards 

 all the Northern Indian countries, and the rougher 

 ground towards the Terai. I never found much 

 trouble with a loose-reined horse over the rocky 

 hills of the Deccan and Central India. As for black 

 cotton soil, I prefer long reins and my flat feet. 



So much for our maxims. I add a few general 

 notes on hunting. 



The hunting instinct is poor in most of us. It 

 is almost hopeless to expect people to keep silent, 

 to help on the line, or to hide when a cover is being 

 beaten out to them. You may post a heat, moving 

 on tip-toe to hide them. If one of the heat comes 

 up late, will it ever enter into his head to walk 

 quietly to his post out of sight of the beat in order 

 that the sound of his hoofs may not carry ? Not 

 a bit of it. He will rattle gaily up in sight of the 

 beat and ask for directions in a cheerful shout from 

 the other members of his heat, whom he will prob- 

 ably find standing in front of their posts in full view. 



Again, many men get away moderately quick 

 with a pig under their noses. It is only an in- 

 finitesimal number who can both think and act 

 quickly on the slightest sign. Cattle suddenly 

 disturbed, waving grass, a flick of dust, a disturb- 

 ance on the line, a shout, a gesticulating cultivator, 

 all of these have their meaning and their message, 

 what to do and where to go. It is for you by 

 natural instinct, by quick sight, by training, and 

 observation to interpret and act aright. 



In riding a hog, press him for all you are worth, 

 at once. You will then burst and catch him in a 

 short distance. If he gets his wind he may take 

 you a long way. Then, when once you are on his 

 tail, settle down to your hog's pace. Nurse him 



