42 The Hunting Grounds 



reclining under a tree, as their horses were quite 

 done up; and in a short time our syces (grooms) 

 came up with fresh mounts. After having directed 

 them where to find the hog, we mounted and rode 

 into camp a distance of eight miles ; the boar 

 having led us a chase of at least seven. 



We had a fearfully hot ride, as the sun had 

 risen high above the horizon, and there was not 

 a cloud to intercept his rays; the sultriness was 

 getting more and more oppressive, and we found 

 the wind scorching. To add to our distress, 

 every now and then a " pishash," or whirlwind of 

 dust, came twirling amongst us, filling our eyes 

 and mouths. 



At last, as our encampment came in view, we 

 could distinguish six hogs hanging to our trysting- 

 tree ; and shortly afterwards the boar was hoisted 

 up alongside of them. He was a huge brute, 

 measuring thirty-eight inches in height at the 

 shoulder, and his tushes were nearly nine inches 

 in length. 



We sat down to a substantial breakfast (pork 

 chops forming one of the items) and in the cool 

 of the evening we returned to cantonment, some 

 of us with aching bones and curious bumps on the 

 cranium, which would have puzzled Gall or Spurtz- 

 heim ; others with stripes of diachylum plaster on 

 the face ; and all of us with cracked lips and sun- 



