HUNTING ALONE 91 



without event just as he was reaching the Kadir. 

 He was an indifferent pig. When I got back I 

 learnt that a big pig, the usual "biggest wot ever 

 was seen," had crossed the stream. 



However, there was no good in greeting ; so 

 we moved on to our next place, three clumps of 

 jungle placed in the corners of a triangle each about 

 six hundred yards apart. I made sure we should 

 find pig there, for the many marks promised good 

 sport. But there was only one boar at home, a 

 nice pig who took two hours' hunting. The grass 

 between the patches was high, and he used to get 

 a long way before I saw him. He was very lame, 

 and I was furious with my shikari, who I thought 

 had shot him. At last he took a line over a dried-up 

 drainage cut and some broken tussocky ground, 

 where I caught him up and killed him after a pretty 

 scrap and some bad spearing. He broke my spear, 

 but I was able to get another at once. Half his 

 left shoulder had been shot away some days before ; 

 the wound had maggots in it, but would have healed. 



We now gave the horses and coolies a rest. I 

 used to take out for tiffin, on this trip, only a stick 

 of chocolate. Books said it was sustaining. 



After tiffin we worked down to the river and beat 

 the Kadir. The grass here had turned to light 

 jhow. I soon saw a big boar jogging on quietly 

 over an open patch about a hundred yards away. 

 I dashed after him and caught him just as he was 

 entering a belt of cover. He turned into me, and 

 I speared him at full speed, the merest touch. I 

 galloped on and wheeled sharp about. But the 

 hog was dead, speared through the heart. 



I changed horses and went on for half an hour, 

 and then put up another nice boar, a smaller fellow, 



