AN AMPHIBIOUS BOAR. 165 



ing grass, it was as much as my horse could do to keep close 

 behind his heels ; we then came to small " nullahs," in and 

 out of which he went like a greyhound, keeping us at our 

 veiy best pace. After another mile I caught him up on a 

 clear bit of ground, and, digging in the spurs, ranged up 

 alongside and struck him on the back, retaining the spear in 

 my hand. The boar followed me with angry grunts a short 

 distance, and as I wheeled round to face him again, jumped 

 into a " nullah," down which he sped towards the river at his 

 utmost stretch, and into which I could not take my horse, it 

 being narrow as well as deep. Along this the boar flew for 

 some time, and then bounded out of it at the further side, 

 with the object, I think, of ascertaining where his pursuer 

 might be. Catching sight of me he shot into a net- work of 

 small tidal creeks, from which I was unable to force him, and 

 on nearing the Megna he raced along its bank for a few 

 seconds, and just as I was hoping to obtain a second spear, 

 he sprang into the stream, heading clean away from shore 

 as with the intention of making the opposite bank in the 

 Backergunge district, distant some eight miles ; but whether 

 he succeeded in doing that, landed in Shahazpoor a score 

 of miles below, or regained the shore lower down, I never 

 knew ; possibly he furnished a midday meal to some hungry 

 shark or crocodile ; but I declare on the honour of a baffled 

 and deluded man, that that swine turned a look upon me 

 over his shoulder as he struck out, with such a twinkle in his 

 eye as might, with a very little stretch of imagination, be 

 called a wink. And so I saw him no more after I had, with 

 uplifted hat, wished him a safe and pleasant voyage. 



