XVII 
THE BOAR 
129 
casualties; which would assuredly happen if the 
struggle were indefinitely prolonged. A masterly 
attack on the part of the hunter, with a clever thrust 
exactly behind the shoulder, completes the victory in 
less than half a minute. 
Then the ghastly wounds of hounds require 
attention, and the big seizers, panting with exhaus¬ 
tion, yet raging with the excitement of the recent 
fight, once more dash forward, and fix their teeth 
in their late antagonist, hardly believing that life is 
quite extinct. 
It may readily be 'imagined that this style of 
hunting is attended with considerable danger, as 
the peculiar difficulties of the ground make active 
movements terribly uncertain. I once saw a com¬ 
panion fall backward when charged by a boar, in 
the stony bed of a dry nullah. Fortunately I was 
close enough in the rear to seize one hind leg of the 
animal, and pull it back with my left hand, while I 
gave it the knife behind the shoulder when it 
attempted to turn. This was not a large boar, 
otherwise I could not have held it. 
There is a g eat risk when a boar is at bay in 
dense jungle, and the hunter is breaking his way to 
reach the spot. It is impossible to see three feet 
in advance, therefore he may possibly appear upon 
the scene of conflict exactly opposite the boar’s face. 
In that case it is absolutely certain that the animal 
will charge straight at him, unless securely held 
by very powerful hounds. 
The hunter must never lose his head through 
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