HOG HUNTERS' HALL 131 



The other incident is merely interesting as a queer 

 coincidence. Meade and I after a long hunt 

 brought a boar to bay in a bahri. A rare fighter 

 too. He charged me first ; using the overhand 

 spear I struck him deep between the shoulders, but 

 let go of my spear. He then attacked Meade and 

 got the butt of my spear under his horse's breast- 

 plate whilst Meade speared him (between the ribs 

 I think), but could not get his spear out. They 

 were absolutely fixed, like two fighting stags whose 

 antlers are interlocked. I rode up on Meade's 

 right, and he let me take his spear in my left hand 

 so that I got a pull at a different angle and got it 

 out. Meade then got hold of my spear with his 

 right hand and got it free from his breast-plate, 

 so when the boar died each man had the other's 

 spear. As a young friend of mine once said, " I 

 see now that I should not have let go of my spear," 

 but this is not always as easily done as said. 



Lyall was a great exponent of overhand spearing 

 and we had many an argument and illustration 

 of both methods. Eventually we came to the 

 conclusion that in open or grass country the under- 

 hand spear was the quickest way of killing a pig, 

 whilst in places where there was bamboo, jhow, 

 or thorn to deflect your spear the overhand style 

 was more certain and safe, especially with a charging 

 pig. Our spears were 6 feet or 6 feet 6 inches, and 

 leaded. 



I fear that this chapter has been written in a 

 somewhat chatty style, but for the benefit of others 

 who may wish to try new ground outside an exist- 

 ing hunt I will summarise the chief points in 

 military fashion. 



1. Reconnaissance. Must extend over a con- 



