Legge, who was riding on the extreme left, was the
first to discover the herd, and he galloped up to say that there were a
considerable number of pigs about two miles further east, scattered
amongst the cabbage trees near a small river bed. On approaching
carefully till within view we could count upwards of fifty, and many
seemed to be large boars; no young pigs were visible. The latter,
indeed, seldom came far out on the plains, their elders probably fearing
that in the event of surprise they would not be able to run with the
rest of the herd.

The whole mob of pigs lay directly between us and the hills, which were
almost five miles distant, so it became necessary for us to divide and
make wide detours, so as to obtain a position on their further side
without being seen. This movement took about an hour, but we succeeded
under cover of snow grass and cabbage trees in approaching within half a
mile of the herd, with the hills behind us, before they took the alarm.
Then all were speedily in motion, but as our position prevented them
from taking a direct line to shelter, they ran wildly, and so gave us a
considerable advantage.

The order for attack was now given; the dogs were slipped, and away we
went like a whirlwind, each singling out a pig and taking the boars
first, as did the horses.

Owing to our first advantage we picked up with the leaders in a couple
of miles, and two of the largest boars were immediately seized by the
dogs close together in a piece of bad marshy ground, covered with snow
and spear grass, much rooted and honeycombed. Smith, who was first in
the running, narrowly escaped a broken neck. The huge sixteen hand mare
he rode planted her feet in a hole and somersaulted, throwing Smith on
to one of the boars and dog engaged, but the latter was game, and by his
pluck and smartness saved his master and himself from being ripped, and
before Smith was fairly on his feet the boar had six inches of steel
through his heart and his career was ended.

[Illustration: ENCOUNTER WITH WILD BOAR.]

During the few minutes we were here engaged, the other boar, a powerful
and fierce brute, had forced the dog which seized him some fifty yards
down a dry gully, and it was clear that unless he was speedily relieved
the dog would have the worst of the encounter. Smith and I rushed to his
assistance none too soon. The boar, in his struggles, had already
slightly ripped the dog on the shoulder, and the blood was stream