. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India. Hunting; Game protection. SPORT IN THE JUNGLES OF N. INDIA 157 nullah, some stopping to plough up the stones and sand in a search for a succulent root. There were several fair-sized boars and I should have liked to have had a shot at the old boar. But I was not out to fire at pig. The havildah's longing was far greater than mine, for he was a Gurkha, and a Gurkha can never see a pig without coveting its death, for he loves above all things the flesh of the wild boar. This fact was, of course, well known to me, but I had told the man, then a new s
. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India. Hunting; Game protection. SPORT IN THE JUNGLES OF N. INDIA 157 nullah, some stopping to plough up the stones and sand in a search for a succulent root. There were several fair-sized boars and I should have liked to have had a shot at the old boar. But I was not out to fire at pig. The havildah's longing was far greater than mine, for he was a Gurkha, and a Gurkha can never see a pig without coveting its death, for he loves above all things the flesh of the wild boar. This fact was, of course, well known to me, but I had told the man, then a new servant, but destined to accompany me in many a shooting-trip all over India and to prove the staunchest companion and servant one could desire to have, that I should not shoot at pig that day. Also I had imagined that it was too frequented a spot at this time of the year to render it probable that a sounder would choose that route for their return from the fields at sunrise to the heavy forest. An old boar is at all times a dangerous customer to encounter in the forest as his temper is most uncertain and, when wounded, he becomes a savage and vindictive foe, pursuing and charging his enemy with untiring watchfulness and cunning. The boars are armed with long tusks in the jaws, the upper and lower front teeth on either side of the mouth being prolonged into short curved ivory tushes which may grow to seven inches -;i^^4/,^^^'^|;fC(/^'^5,-|^y'-- or more in length. With this formidable weapon a boar can rip open a man or horse or other animal with as clean a cut as could be inflicted with a sharp heavy knife. When you remember that the wild boar is also a very speedy and extremely power- ful animal and can keep ahead of a horse for a considerable time you can perceive that he is not exactly an easy customer to tackle on foot even by a grown man armed with a rifle, as many have discovered to their cost. In the forest most animals, even the tiger, are content to let an old wild boar
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjecthunting, bookyear1920
