6 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. I. 
I had a large herd of swine running in the swamps 
and fern-ridges at the back of the settlement. For 
a long while I had turned out all those which I 
bought young or in bad condition from the natives, 
after branding them over the tail. They got very fat 
as they grew, the feed being excellent about here. 
The succulent root of the ravpoy or bulrush, is a very 
favourite food of the hog, and the fern was also of 
good quality. 
When I wanted to catch a number to send to Wel- 
lington, or to kill and salt down, a grand hunt took 
place. I had bought one or two good dogs, and bred 
them to the sport. They soon learn to beat the 
ground, and follow the scent of a pig ; and take great 
delight in the chase. If large and strong, and found 
in open ground, a hog will often give a run of some 
miles, and you follow the dogs on foot through high 
fern, reeds, wood, scrub, and swamp, till their barking 
and the snorting of " porker " give notice that he is at 
bay. The pig-dogs are of rather a mongrel breed, 
partaking largely of the bull-dog, but mixed with the 
cross of mastiff and greyhound, which forms the New 
South ^Vales kangaroo-dog. The great nurseries for 
good dogs have been the whaling stations, where they 
bred them for fighting. It soon became a fashion for 
travelling settlers like myself to have a pack of pig- 
dogs, known for their strength, skill, and courage, 
whether in fighting or hunting. At a rude settlement 
such as Wanganui, they served also to protect the 
house from the depredations of the wandering sawyers, 
and other loose Jidventurers, who were getting more 
daring in their undertakings, and from the annoyance 
of a few among the natives who began to pilfer, or to 
breed quarrels by rude and insulting Ijehaviour. On 
one occasion during my absence, the White savages 
