CHAPTER XVI 



SPEARS AND GEAR 



The youngest hog-hunter knows of the two spears : 

 the short Bengal spear used overhand for " jobbing," 

 and the long Bombay and Northern Indian one 

 used underhand. Each has its merits and its 

 demerits. For open country and for a pig gallop- 

 ing away the long spear has obvious advantages, 

 while the short spear is well adapted for thick cover 

 or for a charging pig. 



I think it is harder to spear well with the 

 " jobbing " spear than with the underhand. It is 

 claimed that the " jobbing " spear is more deadly, 

 but this I will not grant for an instant. As long 

 as the cover does not divert it, nothing can be more 

 deadly than the long spear, whether a pig charges 

 or not. My own preference is all for the underhand 

 spear, though I have hunted a whole season with 

 the " jobbing " spear. I am not a particularly good 

 spear, but I have been surprised, when hunting 

 alone, at the ease with which, fairly often, I killed 

 pig with one spear underhand. When hunting with 

 others racing alongside, a good spear is much harder 

 to give ; time and opportunity are lacking. 



Every man has his own fancies and his own 

 physical qualities. For this reason I can offer no 

 advice whatever as to what form of spear to use. 



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