166 MODERN PIG-STICKING 



detailed by the captain to attack. Then perhaps 

 a grass bir is beaten, and so to camp tired and 

 happy. The pig were usually brought into camp 

 in carts, so there was no chance of that useful 

 stretching for a doubtful measurement. Our lowest 

 limit was 26| inches. After dinner it is the duty 

 of the sportsman who has taken most first spears 

 or slain the biggest boar to write up the log in the 

 hunt records. Occasionally the writer soars high. 



The monster came down like a wolf on the old, 

 His tushes were gleaming like silver and gold, 

 The glints from his eyes were like stars in the East, 

 He charged, was speared, and now is deceased. 



An honourable record of falls was always kept. 

 What shame is there in a pig-sticking fall ? The 

 man who never has a fall never tries for one. 

 " Here's luck to all who fear no fall, and the next 

 grey boar we see." Occasionally we were lucky 

 enough to bag a panther. Our party had just 

 finished off a good fighting boar on foot, and we felt 

 rather pleased with ourselves when we were attracted 

 by loud yells from another party. At first we could 

 not make out what they were after, then saw it was 

 a panther, so hastened to join in the fight. She 

 was dead before we got up. Poor Hughie Reid of 

 the Royal Scots (he died of cholera) had got in two 

 spears, and Pratt of the same corps one. A full- 

 grown female in good condition. 



As stated before, we seldom got the very big 

 boars to break from the sendhi bans, but occasionally 

 we found them lying out. They did not run far, 

 and nearly always charged in before they were 

 speared, but their charge, though sometimes im- 

 possible to stop, was clumsy. A fast 32 incher gave 

 us the best sport. He ran and fought with great 



