The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-07-30
WILD BOARS OF INDIA.
An Americans Thrilling Account Of
Hunt for Them.


A Rochester traveller just returned
from India had an interesting story to
tell Union reporter recently on sport
in India. The conversation naturally
drifted to that peculiarly exciting and
intensely interesting national sport of
boar-sticking.
1T is curious sensation" said the
Rochester man, leaning comfortably
back in his chair, going through the
long grass after your prey at full pelt.
At first it seems as if only a miracle
can save your horse from tripping over
the burnt-up stumps and roots of coarse
heritage, but if you have a sure-footed
horse scramble or two is all that you
will probably suffer. The chief danger
arises from blind 'nullahs,' dried-up
water courses and 'jheels,' against which
even the best trained beast will bite the
dust.
Should the unlucky rider happen TO
be thrown where the ground is hard as
baked bricks, he will find it no Joke;
few get off without real shaking. A
man once told me that as a rule the
worst falls were off small horses, be-
cause when they came down they
seemed tc make less effort to save them.
selves, and so their burden strikes the
ground with the full and undimin-
isbed force that the pace creates. Last
year, at Jodhpore, the worst fall of the
season, from which lady sustained
some terrible injuries that happily did
not prove fatal, was one from an Arab
pony that crossed his legs on the fat.
On day well remember there were
three choppers, two of them none too
pleasant. One man fell into 'nullah'
and got slight conclusion; second
did not keep his seat when, his horse
'pecked' badly over root, and came
down with the thick and loaded butt end
of his spear under his arm, bruising
his ribs badly; and the third went head
over heels just in front of me during the
last run of the day in the thick grass.
I'VE ere divided in several parties
in order to successfully beat up the high
grass. Our party was not so advan-
tageously situated as the rest, and two
boars had been killed before we had a
hand in the game. Then we struck a
fine old fellow that led us a pretty
chase before we finally brought him to
the ground. AS is well known, there is
no gamer animal on earth than an old
boar. He will charge tiger and even
an elephant, and never reckons for mo-
ment the size or strength of the foe;
therefore, when he is at bay he nearly
always goes for the horse, or, if he gets
chance, for the man.
An exciting adventure occurred 10
one of the native princes at Jodhpore
while l was there. His horse fell with
him just as he had got up to a cunning
pig that crossed and recrossed the
horses stride, and as he was on the
ground the boar came for him, but in a
moment he was up. Jumping on one
side, he caught the old pig by the hind
legs and held him until his companions
came up and got in their spears.
"On the way back to the bungalow
from this hunt we had a good gallon.
In the far distance we saw pig ahead
of US going hard, so off we darted at
full pace to ride him down. Of the three,
one fell heavily in the thick grass, but
we others were lucky enough to keep
our feet. Round by the maharaiah's |
shooting tower went the pig, and we
after him, until at last, after a run of |
four miles, we rode him into nullah. in
and out of which he lodged, first to one |
side and then to the other, until, after |
a short fight, he had had his fill. Alto
gether four old boars were killed, to be |
brought back in triumph while we were
at lunch at about 1890 o'clock. The |
maharajah could not, of course, eat
with us on account of his caste, but |
came in and smoked his cigarette in our I
company Immediately afterward. No
man was seriously hurt and no horse
damaged; so, with the sport we en-
joyed, it had truly been delightful
IN, W Union.