Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-06-13
An Expedition into the Jungle.

All E&pcultlOn INTO the jungle.
Colonel Grant was not disposed to al.
low our expedition to leave India with
out some honors from the field, and it
was proposed that we should have some
pig-sticking. The sticking of a pig
does not seem to be a serious business
to people at home, whose ideas of the
animal are confined to its usefulness as
breakfast bacon. The old hunters say
that no sport in India is more exciting
or more dangerous. The wild boar is a
different animal from the homely, use.
full, lolling hog, whose highest function
at home is lard. He lives in the jun
gle. His food is the sugar cane, and a
boar will ravage large crop of grow
ing cane in q single night. He is bold
and brave. His tusks are sometimes
eight inches in length and as sharp as
a razor. With these tusks he will
charge any animal. A boar has been
known to rip open tiger and disem-
bowel him. The boar has great endur-
ance. He can in his first rush outrun
an Arab steed. He seems to be a
peaceable beast who will do no harm and
spend his days on roots or sugar cane
unless you assail him. He will throw
dogs in the air, and if a hunter falls
under his tusks cut him up IS with
knife. Some of the most serious acct
dents in the history of sport have come
from the wild pig. There are laws
about hog hunting which no gentleman
violates. You do not shoot him. You
only attack the boar, never the SOW. To
kill sew in the Jeypore country would
be as serious q crime as to shoot u fox
in Melton Mowbray. You do not kill
the young. In warning on the tiger
your enemy is the common enemy of
mankind, who lives on prey who. un-
less furnishing, will not take his prey
unless he kills it; whose passion is
blood who lives on domestic cattle
and useful animals, and in his old days
takes to preying upon man. There is
this quality about pig hunting that re-
minds you of the buffalo chase. You
ride upon your pony in the Jungle you
seek him out and fight him with sword
or spear like knight; you have foe
man who can only be slain by GOODNESS
and courage, who lives in the dominion
ofthe leopard and the tiger and holds his
own with them, and whose death is
useful in two ways-it protects the ma
tives' crops and gives them food.
An officer of the Maharaiah's house
hold, the principal hunter, and famous
among the hunters in India, waited up.
on us at the British residency and said
that at six next morning he would be
ready to accompany any of us to the
jungle who cared to go. and would di-
rect the hunt. The Doctor was dis
posed to volunteer, and if the General
himself had not been under engage
ments which he could not put aside
think he would have ventured out, if
Tor no other reason than to have good
stiff ride in the Jungle. Mr.. Borie pre-.
ferred to remain with the General, and
the Colonel alone of the party went in.
to the hunt. At six our party left the
residency, and drove out in the cool of
the morning for six or seven miles.
When they came to the jungle horses
were in readiness, with bullock carts,
and q swarm of attendants. The Col
onel had had his own share of hunting
on the frontiers, and as o cavalryman
had good eye and good seat. There
were firearms along, to meet any other
animal that might venture upon them.
Not unfrequently when looking for a
pig you may stumble upon a tiger. or
panther, or q bear, when the conditions
of the hunt change. There is q story
OF an officer encountering a panther
when out pig-sticking and spearing
him. This story is now the wonder
and envy of Indian society, and I do
not know Of any human proceeding
more to be commended or avoided, &C.
cording as you are trained to view such
matters than spearing panther. But
the officer did SO. Our party were pre-
pared for such an emergency. but it did
not come. When they came to the
ground they mounted. The Colonel
rode with the chief sportsmen and an
interpreter. There were sixteen horse
men, two eamels, two bullock carts and
beaters on foot. The chief was fine.
comely, 1.-the young man, who rode o
horse like an Indian, with keen, pierre
ing eye, who looked upon the Jungle as
upon home and knew every feature of
it.. He wore padded gown or riding
coat, which looks like one of our COM
Portable morning wrappers, made of
calico. and over this flowing silk or
brocaded tunic as q mark of his rank.
When You go on the hunting ground
the party divide, at distances far enough
apart to cover q mile of the Jungle.
There are heaters on foot, who 20 into
the grass and beat the game toward YOU.
making loud noises. If you pass O SOW
or her young you keep on, allowing
them to root at peace or scamper away.
II q boar is seen the signal is given,
either by whistle or call, sometimes
by firing q pistol. Some of the heaters
have pistols, SO that If the boar should