Antlers 



but nothing worth shooting. We watch them as 

 they carefully and daintily pick their way across the 

 stony nullah bed, going slowly at first, and then 

 quickening up to a trot as they get half-way 

 across and realize how exposed they are. These 

 wide nullah beds often have areas of tall grass in 

 them, and this makes it necessary to exercise a nice 

 discrimination in firing at the right moment and 

 leaving sufficient time to get in the second barrel 

 at the animal, going fast as he almost certainly 

 will, if you miss or only wound him with your first. 



Before the chitul have disappeared, a heavy 

 rustling and rattling away to the right, and out 

 plunges a black mass and trots across the rao, 

 followed by other black masses of various sizes. 

 Wild boar or piggy these. Wait and watch a bit ! 

 There are some big ones in the nullah already, 

 but there is probably a bigger one yet to come. 

 Yes, there he is, nearly at the tail of the sounder, 

 and a monster he is — fit object for a wild gallop 

 with a spear in the hand. Although not near a 

 good riding country for pig, one does not wish to 

 fire at piggy. He is practically only shot to pro- 

 vide meat as a treat for the Gurkha orderlies and 

 the low caste villager, all of whom will eat them- 

 selves sick once they get a chance at that dainty of 

 dainties — ^pig's flesh. 



The sounder passes with much indignant squeak- 

 ing and grunting at being disturbed in this un- 

 seemly fashion, leaving their tracks deeply im- 



23 



