294 SPLENDID CHAEGE. 



it would have been prudent. I had foolishly 

 let one of the men carry my rifle, but luckily 

 for me, just in the nick of time, he thrust 

 it into my hand as he bolted. The boar's 

 appearance was so instantaneous, and his 

 charge so rapid, that there was no time 

 even to raise the rifle to my shoulder ; I 

 fired from the hip, almost in his face, and 

 missed, (nearly killing one of the runaway 

 coolies,) the shot, however, caused him to 

 swerve in the charge, and saved me from an 

 awkward gash, or, perhaps, a more serious 

 injury. The ball from my second barrel, 

 passed through his back, and even then, 

 whUst struggling on the ground, the gallant 

 brute turned, and did his best to get at me. 

 I finished the boar, with a shot from my 

 spare rifle, and the routed beaters soon 

 reassembled. They carried him home, 

 delighted with the prize, for they greedily 

 devour wild pig, although they wUl not 

 look at tame pork. 



We shortly afterwards fell in with Colls, 

 who had had no sport, and we returned to 



