THE OLD KEEPER AND THE BOAR. 199 



in on the boai% the boar got his wind and charged ; 

 the keeper's single gun missed fire. The boar of 

 course threw him down, and at one blow of his tusk 

 laid open his thigh, hip, and back with a frightful 

 gash, passed on, and then was brought to bay again. 

 The man arose, nothing daunted, and, repriming his 

 gun, hobbled up to the scene of conflict, sighted 

 the boar in his " arm-chair," and fired ; the boar 

 attempted to charge, but, having been mortally . 

 wounded, made but one spring, and fell dead, just 

 as the man sank down and fainted from the loss of 

 blood. They were found in this state, and almost 

 touching each other. 



Having got the hounds into their waggon, and 

 placed some straw to support poor Barricade — but 

 not till it was quite dark — we proceeded home, and 

 arrived time enough for a late dinner, strict injunc- 

 tions having been given by me that the utmost Bar- 

 ricade should have to eat would be a little sopped 

 wheaten bread. 



The following morning I went to see the huge 

 sanglier skinned and cut up, when, as usual, I found 

 him laid on a table, and the groom and boiler hacking 

 at his skin with blunt knives, leaving quantities of 

 meat still attached to the skin when severed. Having 

 drawn my hunting-knife, I offered it to them ; after 



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