92 GUN, KOD, AND SADDLE. 



fourth of the field traversed, when I heard some 

 voices right to windward encouraging a dog to hold 

 a pig. The noise of the men, dog, and porker, I 

 concluded would start the game off in the reverse 

 direction, so hurriedly retracing my steps, I regained 

 the fence, got over it, and took my stand at an angle 

 that stretched close to a slough which was densely 

 covered with a growth of various aquatic weeds and 

 rushes. In about five minutes after gaining my 

 position, I was greeted by a sight of the beauty, 

 who hopped the fence where there was a broken 

 rail, and gaining the opening, for a moment halted, 

 then tossing up his head, oftered me a fair cross- 

 shot nearly eighty yards distant. Pitching my 

 gun well in front, I pulled the trigger, and well 

 I knew not fruitlessly, for he gave a short pro- 

 tracted jnmp, dropped his white tail close into his 

 hams, and with an increased pace disappeared in 

 the swamp. 



Unless the wound was mortal, or so severe as to 

 seriously incommode him, I was certain he would not 

 be satisfied to remain in such close propinquity to 

 danger, so after reloading I made a detour to find 

 wliere he had left this cover to seek one more 

 retired. My conjecture was correct, for after travel- 



