128 W I L D B A R. 



We were told by the people at the waggons that the 

 brutes had passed some time before we returned to lunch, 

 and, having a good supply of eland-beef, the Boers 

 thought that some bacon would be very palatable. We 

 therefore took all the curs that were with the waggons, and 

 went out in search of the party. We got the spoor imme- 

 diately, and, partly by that and partly by the aid of the 

 dogs, we drew up to some rocky hills, that presented any- 

 thing but a favourable ground for galloping. The boar 

 was seen a long way on ahead, leading his sow and suck- 

 lings at a trot, which was increased to a rapid gallop as 

 our approach became known to him. The pace at 

 which the whole party went along the rocky ground was 

 more than we could manage to beat, until a long, flat, 

 grassy plain again became the scene of contest. As we 

 neared, we sent the curs in advance, who, without diffi- 

 culty, overhauled the chase. The movements of the boar 

 family were most absurd ; with tails sticking straight up, 

 they galloped along, putting their snouts up in the air 

 occasionally to have a look over their backs at their pur- 

 suers; this gave to their whole action a most absurd 

 appearance. These creatures are obliged to do thus, 

 because their eyes are placed so far forward, and their 

 necks are so stiff, that they cannot see to the right 

 or left by turning the head. On the outside of the eye 

 a large lump of flesh protrudes, which also limits the 

 lateral vision considerably. 



As the dogs came up to the pigs, they laid hold of one 

 of those invitingly-carried tails, and soon reduced it to a 

 stump. The wild boar himself was armed witli a for- 



