The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-28

front. which sent the spear flying out OF
his hand several horses lengths In front
OF him. and before he could stop the RS.
200 Arab. lent him by a neighboring
Maharajah, the spear-head entered the
horses chest and II was killed on the
spot.
The man who first draws blood gets
the first spear" and is entitled to the
carcass. The body Ii given 10 the coolies
TO eat, and the head Is taken home by
the triumphant sportsman 10 adorn MS
bungalow hall. or the tushes are taken
out and made into some klck-knack. or
course. he is in honor bound to help
fairly to kill as we'll as prick his foe,
but II is the second horseman. riding.
perhaps, four lengths behind him. who
has the most dangerous part to play.
pig when wounded rarely purses his
former course. and the leader often
loses touch with him. while his follower
has to bear the full brunt Of a terrific
charge. 1t is fatal to receive a boars
charge at a walk or trot: one cannot
80 too fast, not straight at the pig. but
at slight angle to him as he charges.
In Bombay long spear Is used and
the boar is stuck by an "underhand'
thrust; In Eastern Bengal jabbing spear
Is used, and is more deadly, / think. OF
course IL is unlawful to stick sows; they
cannot fight we'll having no tushes. The
length to which a good boar's tushes will
grow Is extraordinary. The largest l
have ever seen is In the hall OF the East
India Club. In st. James Square. But
as weapons Of offence they may easily be
too long. as after certain length, they
curl round toward the corners of the pigs
mouth An dove
OF about four boars killed: sometimes
fifteen or more are slain, but generally
by large parties and In extremely rot
Weather 1t is usually asserted Of the
English domestic pig that in swimming
he cuts his throat with his feet, and thus
comes TO an untimely end. l have al
ways doubted the truth OF this, out have
never been able to test It: though If It be
true that the English pig is no swimmer. he
must indeed have iegenerated in captivi-
~. for the wild pig is, perhaps. the best
swimmer of all four-footed beasts. He
can swim any distance. / remember Mr..
Baker, late deputy inspector general OF
olice Rar COL, in his excellent book.
mentions pig that when closely pursued
took TO the water and started off on
swim OF several miles across the River
Megna. while the pace at which he can
swim is wonderful lie has en- annoying
way Of taking TO the water when
wounded. or even pursued while UNI
wounded. no doubt hoping that his foe
will not be able TO fol-
low him off terra hrna, and
his hopes are usually only too well
founded. I remember rather an unfortu-
nate ATTEMPT Of mine 10 follow a wounded
pig in Budaon a few years ago across
small river Ina the north Of that district.
In such n lonely penal settlement" as
budaon. |, Of course, had 30 do my pig
sticking alone, unless, indeed, some sport
ing native would join me. used to shoot
with the beaters in line. my servant, close
behind me, leading my horse and holding
my spear, so that / might be ready If we
had the luck to put up a pig. on shoot
ing partridge. the report Of the gun
put UP a huge boar; he went OFF as con-
tentedly and easily as if he had nothing
to fear
| was after him In few seconds, and
got my spear well into him before he had
gone a quarter Of a mile, when to my
horror and disgust the spear broke in his
back. IL was hopeless 10 return to the
beaters for another spear. as the pig
seemed none the worse. though he had six
inches Of steel In him. and would have
been out Of sight before | could re-
turn TO him. SO / determined 10 ride
along near him, hoping he would lie down
in some BIT Of long grass or sugar cane,
and that | might then have chance Of
rearming myself The fpig. however.
seemed 10 know how matters stood and
went on and on till he came 10 the river
and in ne went. / got my horse" (Which
was, however. In truth. but a 1872 hands
pony i'm a few yards behind him, and all
went well till We were In the middle Of
the stream, which, luckily. was only a few
yards wide, when ! realized that my
| steed was drowning. | slipped out Of the
saddle ana swan like the pig and the
| horse But. alas. for human inhrmities! a
| pig swns faster than a horse, and a
| horse than a man weighed down with his
clothing and heavy boots; and so II came
to pass that the pig landed first and ran
away out of sight. the horse landed next
and did the same, and the writer landed
| last. exhausted. with no hope OF ever
retrieving the pig, and but little hope OF
retrieving the horse for at least some
| time.
This was an unsuccessful attempt TO
| STAY the wild boar single handed; and. as
| a rule my efforts In that direction we're
/ unfortunate. for | was no Outram who,
they say, slew single-handied. in one sea-
| son. nearly hundred bears; but when
ever have got my pig unaided and alone,
! | have been propOrtiOnateiy delighted and
enjoyed the approving "Wah. wah" Of
my native followers on my return.
| Eye-witnesses have described fights be-
! tween the wild boar and the al-powerful
| tiger. and how the tiger has been put 10
| digit, though the poor pig has no claws
and has not half the activity Of the big
/ cat, while ne easily rOuts every other
| four-footed beast that he meets In the
| jungle. Indeed, II required a six-legged
| opponent "a man and a horse) TO defeat
him. and many pig has overthrow even
such antagonist and got away without d
| scratch.
/ once caught a little pig In the jungle
/ and bore him off lin fear and trembling
| lest his mother should catch mel in my
top boot, which | took on and put under
my arm. Even at the age OF three weeks
this little boar would stand no nonsense,
and would charge straight at me II
| teased him, though he became a most
affectionate little fellow.