XVI 



SPEARS AND GEAR 269 



unmoving hand. If the boar will not come, you 

 must, after having given him the challenge, ride 

 alongside, and then spur across his bows ; he will 

 be a very craven if he fight not. Still there are 

 cowards in this world, and if your friend be one of 

 them you must gallop straight on him, using in all 

 likelihood the overhand spear. 



Your spear must never be "in rest." You 

 cannot hold your spear arm too still ; pig are so 

 often missed because men will lunge. Do not lower 

 your spear till you mean to actually give the spear ; 

 the glint of it is bad. If a man ran alongside you 

 with a great spear flashing six inches off your left 

 ribs, would you turn to the left or right ? To 

 avoid this glint, and to avoid observation when 

 taking post at a cover, I had my spears blued. 

 But the blue wore off ; I did not find it a success. 



A spear wants as careful handling as a gun. I 

 always rather resent the way some beginners 

 brandish a confident spear. S, R.H.A., was very 

 sick when his Major would not let him start his 

 career on a Government horse ; he therefore started 

 on a horse of his own, and killed him with his own 

 spear against a charging boar next day. I have had 

 a spear through my own helmet from a novice. 



Watson, R.F.A., with a certain Tent Club this 

 year speared a hog which crossed him. Horse, 

 man, and spear were badly mixed .^JWatson's spear 

 went ^ rQ 3^h-"hj^^gJS!^ forearm. Enthusiastic 

 amaleuTS TSme up, and, in the melee, Watson's 

 mare received a spear through the neck, just missing 

 the jugular, another in the quarter 8 inches deep, 

 and a third in the hock. A valuable animal was 

 thus ruined for life. She is going now at a trot 

 after a year's nursing, but will hardly gallop again. 



