96 A DESCRIPTION OF 
good for food. The Wild Boar has tusks, which are some- 
times nearly a foot in length, and they have often proved 
dangerous to men as well as to dogs in the chase. His 
life is confined to about thirty years ; his food consists of 
vegetables, but when pressed by hunger, he devours ani- 
mal flesh. This creature is strong and fierce, and un- 
dauntedly turns against his pursuers. To hunt him is one 
of the principal amusements of the grandees in those coun- 
tries where he is to be found. The dogs provided for this 
sport are of the slow heavy kind. Those used for hunting 
the stag, or the roe-buck, would be very improper, as 
they would too soon come up with their prey, and instead 
of a chase, would only furnish an engagement- Small 
mastiffs are therefore chosen ; nor do the hunters much re- 
gard the goodness of their nose, as the Wild Boar leaves 
so strong a scent that it is impossible for them to mistake 
its course. They never hunt any but the largest and the 
oldest, which are known by their tusks. When the boar is 
reared, as is the expression for driving him from his covert, 
he goes slowly and uniformly forward, not much afraid, 
nor very far before his pursuers. At the end of every half 
mile, or thereabouts, he turns round, stops till the hounds 
come up, and offers to attack them. These, on the other 
hand, knowing their danger, keep off and bay him at a 
distance. After they have for a while gazed upon each 
other, with mutual animosity, the Boar again slowly goes 
on his course, and the dogs renew their pursuit. In this 
manner the charge is sustained, and the chase continues, 
till the Boar is quite tired, and refuses to go any further. 
The dogs then attempt to close in upon him from behind ; 
those which are young, fierce, and unaccustomed to the 
chase, are generally the foremost, and often lose their 
lives by their ardour. Those which are older and better 
trained are content to wait until the hunters come up, 
who strike at him with their spears, and after several 
blows, despatch or disable him. 
