T H E d e a d HOG.
b e nol too far gone, so as to debar degliililion, a small bolus of opium, aljoiil tiie
size of a pigeon' s egg, will in most instances efTccl a cure; and a few liave occurred
within my own knowledge, where clysters strongly impregnatod Avilh
laudanum, have bad an almost inslantaucous eilect, after the vital powers seemed
a t so low an ebb, as to leave little hope of restoration.
It is extremely common to see a p a r t y divide after various iiogs, either started
a t the lirst. f rom tiie same cover, or roused in the progress of chasing a single
one. "Where it is known that two or more are in the bund, cane, &c. wiiich is
beating, a portion of the horsemen follow the first that starts, leaving their comrades
to manage the remaindei*. Nothing can exceed tiie interest created when,
as soiuetinics occurs, two or three parlies ai-e following each their respective
game. Some may be seen spurring on with the utmost energy; others pulling
hard to restrain their frightened or too impetuous steeds; perhaps one or more
in the diflerent stages of falling; others stopping to dismount and recover
spears which had missed their object; and eventually a successful Niinrod
triumphing over his fallen victim. Such as are seated on elephants often enjoy
tliese divei-silied sccnes. Amid such an active field, even the game itself is often
perplexed, not knowing which way to avoid its many enemies scattered and
galloping in various directions. Often its course is suddenly reversed, and the
crowd of attendants, who making the best of tlieir way after their masters, see
the hog stretching towards them, in their turn lake to iliglit. As has been
formerly stated, hnnted hogs, and indeed sometimes as a mat ter of caprice tliose
not disturbed, will attack any object they may chance to see, such as peasants,
cattle, &c. ; they are greatly attracted thereto by any attempt which is made to
escape from them. Such as trust to their speed are for the most part soon
overtaken, and reccivc a cut of the tusk in each thigh ; the boar putting his
nose between their knees, and giving them a violent loss!
I have already remarked, that whore a sportsman lakes after game, single
handed, lie must be extrcmley careful not lo throw his s])car unless cerlain of his
ann, especially in covei-s, wliere, during the lime occupied in dismounling to
resume it, a hog might be so far a head, change his course, or even stop so
short, as to be lost. On an open, or low grass plain, more may be ventured;
when for, instance, so near a heavy cover as to warrant any attempt, however
nnprabablo, lo succeed ; or when anotlier person on an elephant, &c. might be
able to direct in recovering (he game; ihese are all maltcrs that must be
attended to, else there will be much galloping and lillle killing. ^Vhen ihe
spear cannot wilh propriety be thrown, it uiay be stabbed into a hog, provided
die horse will approach. For ihis purpose the balance siiould be lost for the
thne, by sliding the hand up ihe shaft, so as Lo lengthen the lower part, and
give greater command of r e a ch; and, indeed, if the spear be short, which is by
no means eligible, the hand may be shifted up to its very end, where the thumb
pressing, ivill add considerably Lo the force, 'riic force with which the spear
IS olten impelled is incredible ! Slicking it through a large liog is very common;
and I have seen a spear, thrown by a remarkably strong man, at a hog moving
at some yards distance in a parallel .lireclion, rlarl ihrough both shoNldor blades,
passing all huL about eight inches of llie shaft, out a t the opposite side !
If in the course of the chase the hunter may have Ijcen led over ground
whicli has been sown wilh r/iiir, iie should on alighting, searcli lii.s iiorse's feet
and paslerns, lest he may iiave received a woinid from the stumj>s left by the
pesisants, who in the months of March and April cut the r/iitr willi a large
strong sickk-, in such manner as to leave tiie root parts pointing upwards. These
ni-e extremely sharp, an<l being numerous, teem with danger; a fall among
u would j)robably supersede all occasion f th. or the surgeon.
The scenery describcil in the several Plates relating to ihe subject of hog
hunting, will give a tolerable idea of the general face of ihe country, especially
in Bahar. The surface undulates but lidie, being for the most part
nearly Jlat, or itilersected with narrow vallies, in which small streams meander.
These foi- the most part derive their source from some low flat spot, in which
t h e waters collect during ihe rainy .season, and produce immense crops of rice,
which will noi grow but in swamps. At this time these nullalns (or rivulets) run
wilh great ¡m|)eluosily, and at the numerous dams of earthen banks, which are
built across lo preserve water Ibr the purpose of irrigation, at suilalde distances,
form agreeable cascades of perhaps from three to six or seven feet high. During
Ihe dry season, nolhing but a chain of puddles is to be seen, from which however
the natives, by baling out the water, obtain large quantities of mud-lish
and pig-nuts.
In a country where the ])rincipal foo<l of ihe inhabitanls depends on an
abinidance of water, every precaution is taken for its prc.servation. The large
jeeis (or lakes) formed by the annual rains, are .strongly embanked at their
lowest sides, and innumerable channels arc cut from all directions, into which,
b y some one of the method.s in general use for raising water, all of them «(uite
simple and efliracious, the whole of the flat country around is amply supjilied.
Many of these jcch are from half a mile to two or three miles in circumference.
Tliis alludes to artificial collections of water for the use of the cultivators, and
by no means includes tiie buckra, and jccls, in many parts of the countn',
which are of immense extent, and are furnished with numerous islands aljounding
with every species of game.
On the rising grounds the villages usually stand ; ornamented, not with
superb edifices, but with beautiftil plantations of mango and other trees, which,
exclusive of iheir shade, furnish to the inhabitants abundance of fruit, and wood
for the few purposes in which it is used. Throughout great towns wood is the
common fuel, and in them little else is used; but in the villages, Iwsides decayed
Irees, fallen boughs and underwood, the peasant is in the habit of
burning cow-dung, whicli is carefully picked up, and being beat into broad flat
cakes, these are, while moist, dabbed up against the walls of houses, and thus
completely dried by the sun. Where so little lire is wauted for at least eight