140 MODERN PIG-STICKING chap. 



to the nature of the crop, the boar can follow every 

 movement of his pursuer, while the horseman can 

 see nothing of his quarry. 



The churs are seldom ready for hunting before 

 January, but this depends on the inundation ; the 

 ground is often very trappy owing to cracks, pig- 

 rootlings and holes, which are reopened by the 

 action of heavy rain. The cover, as a rule, consists 

 of high jungle grass, jhow, and crops, where the 

 land has been cleared. 



Of the two forms of hunting much may be said 

 for both. Village hunting is often more interesting, 

 though the inland pig is not as a rule as plucky as 

 his neighbour of the churs. Still, he often gives 

 even better sport and long hunting runs, relying 

 more on his cunning than on his courage to evade 

 pursuit. In fact, there is no doubt that village 

 hunting requires a greater knowledge of venery, 

 and the habits of the boar than chur hunting, where 

 the boar is more or less in the open the whole time, 

 and for this reason many good " spears " prefer 

 the former. 



When the chur hunting is finished, which it 

 generally is with the first heavy rain in May, we 

 have the bheels to turn to. These often prove a 

 sure draw, as fine solitary " old gentlemen " may 

 be found lying amongst the reeds and grasses, who 

 when disturbed generally mean business, having 

 established a prestige amongst the villagers, who 

 usually bolt from them at sight. 



The Moiscoondie chur, measuring, roughly 

 speaking, some twelve miles long by three wide, 

 was formerly an island, but it is now connected 

 with the mainland for eight months of the year. 

 This chur was ten years ago covered with heavy 



