SPEARING VARIOUS ANIMALS 233 



to do this is in May, the very best month in the year for 

 pig-sticking in these parts. At this time it is hard to get 

 men keen enough to spend ten days in the great heat for 

 the chance of spearing a bear, when they know they are 

 missing good pig-sticking ; and what can man want better 

 than that ? 



Black-Buck 



To spear a full-grown, fit, unwounded black-buck 

 is an exceedingly rare feat. I look on it as the 

 highest test to which a horse can be put. I have 

 never even tried it. I give you an account by Mr. 

 Clibborn of my battery who speared one. 



In October 1909 Watson, R.F.A., and I went for a ten 

 days' trip to Mukdumpur in the Ganges Kadir. We took 

 horses and spears hoping, if possible, to get a ride after a 

 wounded buck. 



One morning we saw a nice buck some three or four 

 hundred yards away ; Watson was to have the shot and 

 I remained behind to ride him down if necessary. He 

 failed to get near him, and eventually as the animal 

 trotted off he took a long shot. I at once, as arranged, gave 

 chase, but soon realized that the buck was not wounded. 

 I would have pulled up only that I hoped Watson would 

 join me later with a fresh horse and by this means we 

 might secure the buck. At first I gained on him and got 

 to within fifty yards or so ; however, just as I began to fancy 

 I would get him, he simply streaked away until one hundred 

 or more yards clear. After this, by taking various short cuts, 

 I got fairly close ; then the buck, now apparently really 

 frightened, made every endeavour to throw me off; he dodged 

 round trees and scrub, he galloped to the bank of the bourrh 

 gunga^ dropped to the water's edge and then came up again 

 the same side. The mare I was riding was extraordinarily 

 game. She simply followed that buck like a dog after a hare. 

 Eventually, after a hunt lasting at least thirty minutes, 

 I managed to give him a light spear far back. From that 



