After describing the way in which he managed to place himself between the Boar and his retreat, Captain Shakespeare continues:—
“Standing as I was, behind a hedge considerably higher than my mare’s head, I did not see the Boar. The duffadar (native officer) was some thirty yards to my left, and looking over a lower part of the hedge, shouted out, ‘Look out! here he comes!’ The mare was standing still, and I had but just time to drop my spear point, which caught the Boar in the rise, and the blade was buried in his withers. My mare, from her standing position, cleared with one bound the Boar, spear and all, as this was carried out of my hand; then suddenly turning, was in her stride after the Hog. The Hog had but seventy yards to reach the jungle, and just as he struck the first branch of the jungle with his back, breaking in two the shaft of my spear (which was still fast in his body), the duffadar closed with him. The Boar, having been missed by the spear, ran under the duffadar’s Horse, and for thirty yards lifted him off his legs, plunging and kicking till the rider came to the ground. Fortunately we had three Dogs with us; and having shouted to the people to let them go, they came up and took the attention of the Boar at the moment he was on the duffadar, who had fallen on his sword and broken it, and was utterly helpless. The next moment the Boar made full tilt for his stronghold, the Dogs following close at his heels. Armed with a fresh spear, I rode up the face of the hill, and from thence looking down saw the Boar at bay and surrounded by the Hounds, but in such a situation that it was impossible on horseback to go to the assistance of the Dogs. At this moment one of the beaters came running up with a heavy double-barrelled rifle, and being apprehensive that the Hounds would be speedily slaughtered if not relieved, I took the gun, and dismounting, resolved to attack the Boar on foot. Just as I got to the bottom, I saw the monster Boar with his back to a tree, and the three Dogs looking very cautiously at him. He was about forty yards from me. Directly he saw me, putting his head a little down to take aim, he came straight at me, increasing his pace from the trot to the charge. When about fifteen yards off, he received the first bullet of my rifle in his neck, Taking not the least notice of it, he came on, and the second barrel fired at him, at about five yards, broke his left under jaw-bone at the tusk. Fortunately I brought my rifle down to the charge, and striking it with his head, the Boar sent me over on my back. While running over me he made a glance, and wounded me in the left arm. Had I not put down my rifle-barrel at the moment, most probably his tusks would have been buried in my body. As it was I had two shooting jackets on, it being a very cold morning, and I suffered more from the jar than the wound. As I lay, I seized the end of my rifle-barrel, determined to sell my life as dearly as possible. To my delight, I must say, I saw the Boar knock over the man who was running down with my big spear. He did not turn on either of us; for the Boar is a noble foe, rarely turning, unless desperately wounded and unable to go on, to mutilate a fallen enemy. The Dogs immediately tackled him, and permitted me, though almost breathless, to get up. The rifle-stock was cracked, and the pin that fastens the barrel into the stock much bent. Having put this to rights, I loaded, and, proceeding in the direction the Boar had gone, came up to within fifteen yards of where he had halted and stood regarding me vengefully. Taking aim I sent a bullet through his eye into his brain, and rolled him over dead. I have stated that the Boar is the most courageous animal in the jungle. There he was; with a broken spear in his withers, the shaft sticking up a foot and a half from the blade, knocking over a horseman and wounding his Horse; receiving two bullets—ten to the pound—the first in his neck and throat, the second breaking his jaw, and fired within a few feet of his muzzle; making good his charge, cutting down his enemy like grass, wounding him; knocking over a second man armed with a spear; defying the Dogs; and then, in the act of charging again, shot in the brain, and dying without a groan.”
HEAD OF DOMESTIC PIG.
HEAD OF WILD BOAR.
THE DOMESTIC HOG is proved by the researches of Nathusius and Rütimeyer to be descended from two distinct wild stocks—the Wild Boar, and an Eastern type known now only in the domesticated condition, and named Sus indica by Pallas. The breeds of Hogs descended from the Wild Boar are to be found in various parts of Northern and Central Europe, and resemble their progenitors in the length of their legs, and the development of their tusk. The skull, however, has become higher and broader, and their tusks are not so large, and the body is not covered with such a dense coating of hair.
MILK DENTITION OF PIG.