of the Old WorU. 39 



safely on the other side (it was a good thirteen 



feet from bank to bank). O 's horse fell with 



him, and C 's was fairly done up to a stand- 

 still, so we left them both behind. 



The game now lay between N and myself. 



He rode a splendid large-made Arab, of high caste, 

 called Bidgeley (lightning), well known through- 

 out the Deccan as a hog-hunter. My horse was 

 smaller, but I had the advantage in weight of at 

 least a stone, besides which, Lall Babba had been 

 spared the long run down the banks of the ravine, 

 and had not had the lost ground to make up, 

 which told severely on the other horses. 



We were now upon a bit of very fair riding 

 ground, and the boar was not more than a couple 

 of spear-lengths ahead. The pace was too good 

 to last long, and I could see it was telling severely 



on N 's horse, who was doing all he knew to 



keep him together. We were neck and neck, and now 



came the " struggle" for the spear. N made a 



vigorous attempt to hustle his horse, but without 

 avail. Sitting steadily in my saddle, I gained the 

 lead and kept it easily, Lall Babba following every 

 twist and turn of the boar, like a greyhound after 

 a hare. The tusker, now evidently nearly done, 

 was slackening his pace, and reeling from side to 

 side as he ran. Another moment, and the point 

 of my spear was among his bristles a touch of 



