S4 The Hunting Grounds 



huge gray boar fell back to the rear, champing his 

 tushes and tearing up the ground in a most threat- 

 ening manner. As our object was to force them 

 further into the plain, so as to cut them off and 

 prevent their returning into the jungle, we rode 

 slowly for the first quarter of a mile, then our pace 

 increased, and we went fairly in at them. When 

 we approached they separated, and some of the 

 youngsters of our party made after four sows 

 which kept off to our left. 



Although the pace was now becoming severe 

 for some time, we appeared to gain but little on 

 the boar, who, with a couple of sows, dashed away 

 in a gallant style, clearing en route a nullah 

 (watercourse), which brought many of the field to 

 a check. 



Lall Babba was doing his work well, although 

 he had become so excited with the chase that I had 

 some little trouble in keeping him in hand. We 

 cleared a yawning chasm which, though not more 

 than nine feet wide, was difficult, as the opposite 

 bank was two feet higher than the near one. 



Hearing a burst of laughter behind from O , I 



turned my head, and saw five or six of our number 

 rolling in the dust, and one seemed hors de combat. 



Still on we tore, the field becoming more select, 

 not numbering more than a baker's dozen. We 

 now had a good burst, and one of the sows lagging 



