es in length.
A boar is at all times a desperate antagonist, where the hunting-knife
and dogs are the only available weapons. The largest that I ever
killed, weighed four hundredweight. I was out hunting, accompanied by my
youngest brother. We had walked through several jungles without success,
but on entering a thick jungle in the Elk Plains we immediately noticed
the fresh ploughings of an immense boar. In a few minutes we heard the
pack at bay without a run, and shortly after a slow running bay-there
was no mistake as to our game. He disdained to run, and, after walking
before the pack for about three minutes, he stood to a determined bay.
The jungle was frightfully thick, and we hastily tore our way through
the tangled underwood towards the spot. We had two staunch dogs by our
side, Lucifer and Lena, and when within twenty paces of the bay, we gave
them a halloa on. Away they dashed to the invisible place of conflict,
and we almost immediately heard the fierce grunting and roaring of the
boar. We knew that they had him, and scrambled through the jungle as
fast as we could towards the field of battle. There was a fight! the
underwood was levelled, and the boar rushed to and fro with Smut, Bran,
Lena, and Lucifer all upon him. Yoick to him! and some of the most
daring of the maddened pack went in. The next instant we were upon him,
mingled with a confused mass of hounds, and throwing our whole weight
upon the boar, we gave him repeated thrusts, apparently to little
purpose. Round came his head and gleaming tusks to the attack of his
fresh enemies, but old Smut held him by the nose, and, although the
bright tusks were immediately buried in his throat, the staunch old dog
kept his hold. Away went the boar covered by a mass of dogs, and
bearing the greater part of our weight in addition, as we hung on to the
hunting-knives buried in his shoulders. For about fifty paces he tore
through the thick jungle, crashing it like a cobweb. At length he again
halted; the dogs, the boar, and ourselves were mingled in a heap of
confusion. All covered with blood and dirt; our own cheers added to the
wild bay of the infuriated hounds and the savage roaring of the boar.
Still he fought and gashed the dogs right and left. He stood about
thirty-eight inches high, and the largest dogs seemed like puppies
beside him; still not a dog relaxed his hold, and he was covered with
wounds. I made a lucky thrust for the nape of his neck. I felt the p
|