Buck and Boar round Meerut 



some high grass, two of us only were on one side 

 when a boar broke in front of us and headed 

 straight across a beautiful open " rnaidan " (plain). 

 My companion got foul of the beaters 1 rope, and 

 I started alone. Unfortunately I was for the first 

 and last time on a sluggish mount, bearing the 

 distinguished name of Artaxerxes, and, despite all 

 my efforts with spurs and the butt of my spear, 

 piggy gradually increased his lead till he dis- 

 appeared in the distance, leaving me covered with 

 shame and mortification. The parah led three of 

 us a long dance, joining en route a whole herd of 

 stags. I counted four on foot, for certain, and 

 I believe there were many more. One of us took 

 after a fresh buck, but lost him ; the other two 

 stuck to the original, and speared in an arm of the 

 Ganges, the stag being out of his depth when we 

 did so. 



Next day yielded three boar and another stag, 

 also numerous tosses, as the country was intersected 

 by blind nullahs. A fine wild cat was speared ; he 

 sat down after a very short run and glared at the 

 horseman. The third day we only got one boar, 

 which gave us a long, jinking run, letting in one 

 after another. I was first away, but lost my place ; 

 however, after three or four spears had had a burst, 

 I got in again when he was beat, and speared. A 

 fine stag, with only one horn, was killed ; his 

 horn measured 16 inches and carried four tines, 



85 



