THE NAGPUR HUNT 169 



so later we cantered out the five miles along the 

 sandy track we call a road in Scinde. At the 

 monument erected to those who fell in Sir Charles 

 Napier's great fight we find the ponies and grinning 

 shikaries. A good pig marked down a quarter of 

 a mile away in a tangle of Li (jhow) and babul 

 bushes only ten yards or so square. No big bando- 

 bust. A few clods and out he rushes. With 

 whistles in our mouths off we go at once at speed. 

 X is on him. The rest spread out right and left, 

 blowing their whistles when on the pig. It is only 

 so we can hope to catch him in this jungle. The 

 boar gallops past Meanee monument, we going all 

 we know to catch him before he reaches the impene- 

 trable babul fence round Meanee forest reserve — 

 his home. Once through this fence he can lie down 

 in safety and look at us. He reaches his goal. 

 But we live in hope of better luck next time. 

 Tracking is easy in the sands of Scinde, and the 

 shikaries never played us false. We had to guard 

 our horses' legs against the babul thorns by leather 

 boots with a flap over the fetlock and knee. Even 

 with these the thorns often laid the horses up for a 

 few days, though we stood their legs in hot water 

 on our return home. 



Note. — My friend is, as a poet, shy. But I must insert 

 this ballad which is as remarkable for its accuracy as it is 

 for its literary excellence. — A. E. W. 



A BALLAD OF THE NAGPUR HUNT 



MoHURRUM Meet, 1908 



A band of pig-stickers set out 



From Kamptee and Nagpur, 

 All bound for the Mohurrum Meet, 



To hunt the Mighty Boar. 



