PIG-STICKING IN BENGAL 143 



that each spear can often single out, ride down and 

 kill his own boar. 



From what our up-country guests tell us our 

 pig, though braver and fiercer than their pig, are 

 not nearly so fast. It is quite the exception for a 

 pig to last more than five or six furlongs if in the 

 open and well hustled froYn the start. Some pig 

 hardly worry to run at all, but turn and charge 

 after going a very short distance. This is probably 

 because they are heavy and easily blown owing 

 to the excellent feeding which is always available 

 close at hand. 



A typical day's hunting on the chur began at 

 8 o'clock in the morning, quite early enough on 

 cold mornings. The " spears " would be formed 

 into parties of from three to four and would move 

 through the grass some way ahead of the line, who 

 would be shepherded by factory servants riding 

 hardy country-bred tats. As the line neared the 

 end of the jungle a few sows and butchas would 

 first break, then the smaller boar, followed by the 

 lords of the harem. This is where the green hands 

 often made a mistake and many a good boar would 

 often be lost, for your real old warrior is full of guile 

 and, unless he is well clear of the jungle, at the least 

 hint of danger he slips back and nothing on earth 

 will persuade him to break. As I say, the green 

 hands might perhaps ride too soon, and so spoil 

 their own sport, but with a party of three good 

 spears this would not be likely to happen. After 

 giving the boar plenty of law the party would begin 

 to ride. At first the boar would check and look 

 round, and then be off at the top of his speed, and 

 for the first quarter of a mile more than hold his 

 own. The horses would then begin to draw up to 



