72 Unexplored Spain 



he liad stopped, aud, as may be imagined, 1 stood stolid too. 

 As it proved, the l)iillet, enteriDg top of shoulder, had traversed 

 the vitals — lieuee the cessation of hostilities. A few moments 

 later the arrival of the dogs terminated an untoward interval. 



On another occasion at the Veta de las Conchas, amidst the 

 lovely pinoles, just as the beat was concluded, there dashed 

 from a small thicket a troop of a dozen pig, making direct for 

 the solitary pine behind which the writer held guard. Passing 

 full broadside, at thirty yards the l)iggest dropped deail on the 

 sand, and, just as the troop disappeared in a donga, a second, it 

 seemed, was knocked over. On the beaters approaching I 

 walked across to see, and there, in the hollow, lay the second 

 pig apparently dead enough. Having picked up my field-glasses, 

 cartridge-pouch, etc., I stood close by awaiting the keeper's 

 arrival. Three or four dogs, however, following on the spoor, 

 arrived first ; and on their worrying the deceased, it at once 

 sprang to its feet, gazed for one instant, and charged direct. 

 Never have I seen an animal cover twenty yards more quickly ! 

 Dropping the handful of chismes aforesaid, I pulled off an 

 unaimed cartridge in my assailant's face aud a lucky bullet 

 struck rather below the eyes. This is not a dead shot, but the 

 shock at that short distance proved sufficient. 



An amusing incident, not dissimilar, occurred at Salavar. 

 A youthful sportsman was approaching a boar which had fallen 

 and lay apparently dead, when it, too, suddenly sprang up and 

 charged. Our friend turned and fled ; but, tripping over a 

 fallen branch, fell headlong amidst the green rushes. There, 

 face -downwards, he lay, preferring, as he explained later, "to 

 receive his wound behind rather than have his face messed about 

 by a boar ! " Luckily the animal, on losing sight of its flying 

 foe, pulled up and stood, grunting surprise and disapproval. 



A similar experience befell King Alfonso XIII. in this 

 Mancha of Salavar, December 29, 1909. AVe need not tell 

 English readers that His Majesty proved equal to this, as to 

 every occasion, and dropped his adversary at arm's length. 



When one reads (as we do) descriptions of big-game hunting, 

 a recurring expression gives pause — that of " charging." A 

 recent discussion in a sporting paper turned on the question 

 of " the best weapon for a charging boar." Now such a thing 

 as a " charging boar " has never, in a long experience, occurred 



