OLD AND MODERN SPEARS. 51 



jumping in and out of sheep-pens. I think he must have 

 had a strain of the kangaroo in his blood. 



Old prints and books represent the spear used by hog- 

 hunters to have been a strong male-bamboo shaft about six 

 feet in length, tipped with a steel head, which was thrown at 

 the boar at close quarters a javelin in short, a weapon far 

 less efficient than the lance which succeeded it, whether the 

 long one in use at the present day in Madras and Bombay, or 

 the short one carried in Bengal. I believe the former is about 

 eight feet long, while the latter is only six to six and a half 

 feet, according to the fancy of the hunter and the height of 

 his horse, the longer being, of course, required when the 

 latter runs from fifteen to sixteen hands, and the shorter for 

 those under and for galloways. 



The superiority of the long thrusting or the short jobbing 

 spear has been a question often debated, but it may be fairly 

 allowed that whichever is used is the best that experience 

 has proved in that particular country in which it has the 

 preference. On comparatively open ground the longer may 

 be the better, but it most certainly is not where grass and 

 reeds have to be ridden through as in many parts of Bengal. 

 I have tried both, and give the precedence to the short one, 

 and personally give the preference to one measuring from six 

 to six and a quarter feet in length, according to the height of 

 the horse ridden. 



The javelin or throwing-spear, unweighted with lead at 

 the butt, appears to have been in general use in this Presi- 

 dency down to 1836, when a party of sportsmen, called 

 together by the late Mr. Mills, of the Civil Service, after jj a 

 full discussion of the merits of each kind, adopted that in use 

 at the present day, and disallowed the casting or throwing 

 of it under a penalty, and very properly, for that practice 

 was and is a most dangerous one to horses and riders alike ; 

 some of the most serious accidents attending this fine sport 

 have been caused by it from time to time. Men, and those 

 most frequently young hands, in the excitement of the 

 moment, have broken this wise rule on perceiving the hog 



E2 



