Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-11-20
DAYS PIesTIckiNe IN INDIA.
Lively Sport With Horse and
Smear,


Spear.
Give me the best days fox hunting,
and I'd sooner have 1t than the best
days pis sticking; but, on the other
hand, :yive me ten days in an Indian
jungle in daily pursuit of the pig and
wouldn't exchange them for three
weeks of the best fox hunting. Now,
what is 1t that makes one look back
on a seasons pig sticking with such
glorious recollections? The surround
ings, the free life, the CHEEKY party, the
feeling Of being far away from civili-
zation, added to the excitement and
danger Of each days sport.
In order, however, to fully appreciate
what is meant by this. you must let
your imagination follow mine, while I
stir up few recollections Of an Indian
summer, writes Major T. T. Pitman In
Forest and Stream.
The station is Meerut, one Of the best
pigsticking centres in India. The
month Is March, the cold weather near
ly over with its manoeuvres and camps
Of exercise; 1t Is time to sharpen ones
spears and get together a few horses
for the coming hot weather.
A notice Is sent round cantonments
summoning the members Of the tent
club to a meeting to discuss the pro-
gramme of the season. Some twenty
odd will turn up, the majority officers
Of the garrison, with a sprinkling Of
civilians.
1t is the evening before the opening
meet; the head man Of the village sits
crosslegged beneath the shadow OF
big tree, watching the dusty road. The
day has been marked by the passing
of many a bullock wagon, carrying all
the paraphernalia Of camp, syces lead
ing horses of all classes-the 15-hand
Arab, the water from Australia, the
Indian country bred. The weazened
up old villager knows that the season
has come round again when the Sahibs
visit his country in pursuit Of the soor
(pig). AS the sun goes down there is
a Jingle, Jingle, and string Of eckas,
the light cart of the country, go past
carrying the bearers and light kit, fol-
lowed half an hour later by the Sahibs
themselves, some riding, some in pony
traps, all laughing and talking, eager
at the prospect Of what the morrow
may bring forth. The old man merely
changes the cross of his legs and takes
another pull at his hubble bubble.
We see a group of sahibs sitting
around a campfire. In the background
a row Of tents, pitched under grove of
trees, stand out white in the brilliant
The oldest member Of the
party is holding forth in words that
have lost none of their color by years
keeping. The new hands sit open
taking in the tales being told
of hairbreadth escapes and the savage
nature Of the mighty boar.
And so the night wears on apace and
it is time to turn in; after a walk
around the horses to see that all is Sc
cure, one by one the lights in the tents
go out. A few natives remain squat
ting around the dying embers! gibber-
ing Hindustani until they draw upon
themselves the angry words Of some
sleepless sahib from within, when, they
too, turn in and all is quiet, save for
the occasional neighing of an Arab
pony or the screeching Of night owl,
with the half hourly coughing fit Of the
native watchman.
It seems but few hours since one
turned in, and now the bearer has
lighted a candle and is busy arranging
the clothes at the foot Of the bed.
There is a general stir In camp. Syces
are jabbering by the dozen, khitmagars
are busy over cracking fires. No time
to lose, for the first streaks Of dawn
are appearing on the horizon. A rapid
toilet, and chota hazri Qittle break
fast), consisting of a cup Of tea and an
egg, and we are in the saddle and NOV
ing out Of camp.
Lutchman, the old shikari of thirty
seasons, is standing on the top of an
elephant, trying to get the coolies into
line in the jungle to be ready for the
sahibs when they come. One or two
of the late risers gallop up at the last
moment, and the line moves off. We
muster twelve spears all told, and form
three groups of four in front Of line
Of .beaters about 200 yards long. For
half an hour we ride silently along and
are just beginning to wonder whether
there is a pig in the district when sud-
denly resounds a series Of grunts and
snorts and a sounder Of pig dart off
into the jungle. The nearest group
dash after them, only to find that 1t is
little family party, consisting Of an
old SOW and her young. The leading
over his head as a signal, and the ri
ders pull up and wait for the line to
come up to them.
Almost at the same moment fine
old boar breaks to the right front, and
four horsemen are going all they know
how to keep him in sight. For nearly
a mile he takes them at racing pace as
straight as a die. One Of the riders is
close on him his spear is lowered as
he overhauls him foot by foot but a
sudden jink at right angles through a
thick patch of jungle allows the sec
ond horseman to cut in and do the rid
ing for another half mile. The other
two riders have come to grief and are
busy picking themselves up.
The pursuit continues-which will
crack first, the boar or the horse? The
pace has been terrific. At last the
spear is lowered and just as the rider
would run it in behind the shoulder
the boar gives jink to the left, with
the result that he receives a prod in
the thick part of the hind quarters.
Infuriated at the pain he wheels about
and charges. Then begins a pretty
sight as the quarry turns to give fight.
With a deep grunt he rushes at the
steed. The old Arab gives a jump to
one side to avoid the upward thrust Of
the cleaning tusk, narrowly escaping
ripped side. At the moment when
the boar has prepared for another on