286 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



though they were so many reeds. I again brought the stock 

 of my rifle to the shoulder, but not all my force and excite- 

 ment was sufficient to raise the barrels, which remained 

 entangled amongst the bi^anches. The wounded animal 

 again disappeared. I continued the pursuit. He had again 

 passed the ride, and returned to his original retreat. " Belle- 

 ment" followed, giving tongue in the most determined man- 

 ner. He was now seen by one of my companions, who 

 lodged two balls in his body without bringing him down. 

 "When I arrived, all out of breath with a fresh scramble 

 through the wood, I found my friend re-charging his rifle in 

 the ride, and pointing to a thicket where the animal was 

 again at bay. Having approached nearer, what a spectacle 

 greeted my eyes. With his back against the trunk of a tree, 

 in the posture of the antique boar in the Florentine Gallery, 

 with bristles standing on end, eye on fire, his head lowered, 

 and his mouth covered with bloody foam, the boar was 

 endeavouring to gore with his enormous tusks his feeble and 

 contemptible enemy. On one side and the other, behind and 

 before, " Bellement" redoubled his attacks, and a whole pack 

 of hounds could not have done more. The poor dog, hitherto 

 so small and insignificant, had become a positive hero. 

 Covered also with blood, but the blood of his enemy, active 

 both in the charge and the retreat, displaying a courage and 

 determination only equalled by his skill in avoiding the 

 tusks of his formidable adversary, he fastened on with his 

 teeth to the thighs, neck, ears, and even the muzzle of the 

 boar. I was at ten paces from the group, and afraid to fire, 

 lest in the attempt I should wound the courageous little 

 animal. At length, however, shaking the dog from him by 

 a violent effort, the boar stood exposed, and my ball took 

 effect full in the centre of the breast. He made one bound, 

 and with an eye like a coal, rushed upon me, but had scarcely 

 made the first effort when his strength failed him, and falling 



