Sporting Trips of a Subaltern 



sticks, and shouting Ugh! Ugh! with more or 

 less vigour, according to whether there happens to 

 be a sahib in their vicinity or not. The second 

 and third shikaras, Poran and Buggou, in my 

 day, meanwhile dodge up and down the line, 

 encouraging the beaters and, like Father O'Flyn, 

 helping the lazy ones on with their sticks, A 

 sudden clamour arises from one part of the line, 

 and amid confused shouts, " Soor, soor" (pig, pig), 

 "Burra dent wallal" (big tusker), and "Bhot 

 burrah wallal" (very big one) are heard. Every- 

 thing is hailed as a " Bhot burrah wallal " by the 

 coolies ; but the nearest heat soon gallop up and 

 investigate, and perhaps are encouraged by Luch- 

 man's " Burrah soor, burrah soor, burrah soor" 

 from his commanding position on the elephant. 

 Then, if it's not your luck to belong to that heat, 

 you see them probably spread out and circle around 

 for a minute in front of the line till a shout pro- 

 claims some one is on to the boar, and they vanish, 

 riding for all they know through the grass and 

 reeds. Should the boar be roused close to you, 

 you gallop up and perhaps get a glimpse of the 

 great, grey back through the thick grass; then, 

 being satisfied as to his sex, you set to work to 

 get all you can out of your horse, keeping your 

 eyes glued all the time on the boar : a moment's 

 glance at the ground may, probably will, result 

 in your losing sight of him for ever. At first it 



38 



