282 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



excellent, the chase seldom lasts less than four or five 

 hours. SometuTies the animal is checked by firing a 

 gun— or he is pursued by mastiffs and greyhounds. 

 Chases have been known to continue two whole days, 

 and at last tlie hunters could not have taken the boar 

 but by shooting him, on the third day. 



When the boar finds himself driven to the last ex- 

 tremity, he does not run forward, but frequently turns, 

 keeping for a considerable time near the same spot, and 

 seeking to make the dogs start some other game. When 

 he is done up, he foams much, advances only by leaps 

 and bounds, throws himself into some marsh, or sets his 

 back against a thicket, facing the dogs, and defending 

 himself with incredible fury. It is then that the whip- 

 pers-in must give effectual support to their dogs, and 

 endeavour to dislodge the animal ; but, if he keeps at 

 bay, it is proper to prevent the dogs from approaching 

 too near. The whippers-in enter the thicket with pre- 

 caution—one of them alights, approaches the boar, and 

 plunges his hunting knife into the small of his back. 

 The man who inflicts the wound must be very alert, and 

 instantly run ofl^ a contrary way ; for the boar always 

 turns towards the side on which he feels himself wounded. 

 If, however, he should prove so furious as to endanger 

 the sportsmen and the dogs, the best way is to kill him 

 with a gun or pistol : this is a privilege or honour re- 

 served for the leader of the company, and is resorted to 

 only at the last extremity. The whippers-in then sound 

 the death of the animal, and encourage the dogs to 

 trample on him. Having cut off the testicles, which 

 would cause the flesh to contract a very disagreeable 



