A Pig Hunt on the Tapanuis.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 90, 30 March 1876, Page 6

A Pig Hunt on the Tapanuis.

* — : . It happened thus-wise some years ago that I went out pig-hunting on theTapanui Mountains, accompanied by a gentle shepherd and an aspirant for the holy orders in the Presbyterian Church, who, longing for a greater excitement than that of expounding the deeds.. 'of David, sought to emulate that gentleman in the boar hunt. The, morning was beautiful, and, well arme,d .with knives and guns, and followed by sheep dogs, we commenced the ascent of the ranges — the parson in the van. Up we go through the thick blue tussock, and ovdr the broken step-like hill side, the short squat figure of. the. man of the Cameron Clan tripping it lightly from hummock to hummock till we reach the more easy level of the top range. Following it for a while we debouch to the right along a leading spur which carried us to a saddle overlooking the Rankleburn. on one side, and the mountain slopes of the western boundaries of the Tapanui on. the other. Here, said the gentle one, we will eat our dinner, for we will have work to do soon. So unpacking our budgets, we commenced to scoff them. The parson took exception to the word " scoff," expressing his astonishment that it should be used in that way, but was satisfied when it was explained as the alias of .the verb to eat. Having* finished the provender, we I carefully loaded our guns and struck ( over the saddle, the parson taking the Rankleburn cover by a leading spur, the gentle one and I keeping the top of the range. Just a little in front our dog's turned out a litter of sucking pigs, and after rounding them up we let them go again, to grow bigger. Suddenly the double report of a gun was heard in the gully where the parson had gone. We started at a trot, my companion ' beating me hollow. When I. rose the breast ofthe ridge I spied him half-way down the wooded' brambly, vine-laced, scrubby gully before me, Into the maze I plunged, and after much rolling and stumbling, reached the bottom, and just ori emerging from the scrub, my foot slipped and down I came, the barrel of my gun boring, its way. into a mud bank, necessitating the cleaning out thereof. I then heard a shot close by, and saw advancing . towards me a-moderate-sized boar. Waiting until it came within ten or twelve feet, I took aim and fired, but owing to the unstrung 1 state of my nervous system, I missed. The boar came on, and throwing down the useless gun with heroic valor, I ! drew my. knife, and catching the beast by the off hind leg was '"about, to inflict the coup de grace when hislordship with a convulsive throe struck bis colors. A. roar of laughter came from my shepherd friend who had fired the death shot.' Vowihgjyenganoe on' 1 him for his. chaff, we reloaded our guns and resumed our search for' fresh game., In the meantime- the parson had not been idle. After discharging his gun at a Hying litter of young pigs and r missing them, he in deep disgust caughtup two smooth stones of prepohdei'ous dimensions from, the brook, and raising them to his broad shoulders, aftefc the ancient manner of putting the stone :he dashed forward in chase as the treaded their way through the low underwood, grunting with fright'. Having come within putting distance,- he launched the right-hand stone and then' the left, wliich brought down a pig* with a broken hip. Leaving tho victorious chieftian to bag his game, my friend and I made up the ridge again, and took our way to new ground. Here the dogs tui'ned up a good:sized boar which showed fight, striking at the dogs right and left with his foamtipped tusks. Haying called off the' dogs, my companion left* me, starting off on the run to have a shot at the pig. Nothing* loath, the boar accepted' his challenge, and charged him ; the " g ; en- r tie one ". fired at thirty yards, the ball plowing a furrow through the thick skin of his neck and R*la'ncing;off. ! ; Ite served, however, to turn him, and ! the dogs again bayed him ori the top pf the ndgw. i came, up , pretty cool, and: got the dqgo u-allcu urr. _--«** u„« '•:.„; na p was about to- charge again I fired: an a" hit him just ivhder the ear."- He 1 - fell and. died wi '.bout a. kick. This ended j our day's sport,, and gave me a just revenge for the chaffing of the -gentle shepnerd,but to this day rny^triend^ insists ori den daring that I saved his life frord the vengance of that yyild b'oary T b&nonly say that it.was more a ;^Hcky shot than, a skilful one. ■* ; ?:, f. . ,