LEAVES FROM AN INDIAN DIARY.

Evening Star, Issue 7301, 27 August 1887, Page 5 (Supplement)

LEAVES FROM AN INDIAN DIARY.

[By A Veteran.]

No. XXIV

" Well, Nubbu-Bux, " where is the milk for the coffee this morning ?" " There was very little mem-sahib," replied the khidmutghar, " and I gave it all to the children. The gwalla* says the cow is going dry." The above was what I heard one morning as I entered the breakfast-room, and my wife appealed to me and asked me to see about it. We sent a note over and borrowed some milk from our next-door neighbor, but after breakfast I strolled down to the cowhouse to see how matters stood. The calf was only four or five months old, and the cow should not have been dry so soon. I had my suspicions that seme roguery was going on, for about three months before this I had bought a score of sheep, and I had given distinct orders that nothing but white ones should be purchased. I had a prejudice against black sheep, as I fancied they tasted coarse, and in a hot climate I knew the white would fatten more quickly than the black. I few days previously I had noticed in a casual way that the flock were getting on, but suddenly they fell off, and one or two black ones appeared amongst them. It was very odd. Of course it is a well-known fact, whatever may be said to the contrary, that a leopard can change his spots—when he is tired of one spot he changc3 it aud goes to another. 1 had learnt that in my salad days, at the expense of a small bet of live rupees, which was decided against me one night after mess. But I never before beard of white sheep turning black. The gwalla did not say these had done so. They had, he affirmed, been bought with the flock. He said, however, that lie had a cousin whose white sheep once turned suddenly black from eating same particular plant. I was not quite sure about the sheep purchased having been all white, and, as I did not wish to be unjust, the matter was allowed to slide, though I found out afterwards that my sheep, which had been fattening on grain, had, for a consideration, been exchanged with those of a neighboring butcher. Anyhow, I was_ suspicious of the man, and, as I have said, I strolled down to the cow-house to have a look round. The animals were all out grazing under the charge of a small urchin ; but the father was in a corner of the shed, apparently cooking. There was a bras 3 vessel that would hold about, say, three gallons, the contents of which he was slowly stirring over a small fire of twigs. As I entered tho house, the man put the lid on the vessel, and, rising up, came to meet me. After talking a few minutes, I asked him what was in the brass pot on the fire. He said it was some pulse he was cooking for his poor dinner; that I was his father and mother; but he asked me not to go too close, or he would break his caste.

" But your food is burning," said I; " take the lid off and stir it, or it will be spoiled." " Oh, it's all right," said the man. "But it's burning," I replied; for by this time I smelt singed milk. After a good deal of pressing, I made him take off the lid, and there were about a couple of gallons of milk. No wonder there was so little for me. Even then he declared it was not milk, only the scum from the pulse made it look white. "Well, Matadeen," said I, "there is only one thing for you ; yon must sit down and driuk the whole of it before mc, or I will send you to the cantonment Magistrate. ' Then Matadeen sat down and drank and drank, and " I seed him a swellin' wisibly afore my worry eyes." He got tighter and tighter, till he looked like a blown frog. Every now and then he would stop and look appealingly into my face ; but he only saw relentless sternness there, and he had to go on till he had nearly finished, when I left him and chuckled at the way I had served him out. About an hour afterwards some of the servants camo to say Matadeen was Very "bad. I went out »i\d iound Him rolling on the ground, and his wife shampooing him. I administered a little ipecac, which soon gave him relief, and the next morning the milk for breakfast was not short. We parted afterwards with the gwalla on the subject of the sheep.

No. XXV. I Kinc the boar -the mighty boarFill hiifh thu cup for me ; And here's to all who fd»r no Ml When the next great boar we sec.

" Pig-sticking" is certainly one of the grandest sports in India, and it is essentially an Indian sport. There are any number of wild pigs in the country, which, being full of patches of jungle, favors their increase; besides, the people are not so dead set against them as to keep down their numbers. The fact is, there are so many other kinds of wild beasts to be foutjht.that " piggy " ' 8 looked upon as comparatively harmless. No doubt he is a caution in a cane-brake, or amongst root crops, but lie will not go out of his way to attack a man. At the same time, though he is harmless if left alone, he is rather an awkward customer if attacked ; so, when his presence is not appreciated or desired, he is driven away by much shouting, abuse, and pelting, with the aid of the village pariah dogs. The country in the plains of India being generally open, is grand ground for a good "buster" after a grunter. Another thing is that almost every European in India possesses a mount of some sort, and a good beast for pig - sticking need not necessarily be a first-class expensive animal. " A good 'orse for 'og 'unting," as Tommy J used always to say, " requires to be active and plucky, with training and experience, and above all, to have confidence in the man on his back." It goes without saying that if you let your Dag get cut or ripped by the pig there will be a shyness at their next meeting. I had a little countrybred mare about 14.1, far from sound, queer-tempered, and not fast, but Al after * Gow-eow. G'walla (gow-walla) means oowheid.

pig 3. Once she saw tlic pig felie would go after him like a clog. You might lay the reins on her neck, and she would follow every turn the pig made, and if he turned and charged she was quite ready, and would move instantly in any required direction—but then she had never been puiiishcel by a pig. The more active the horse the better, especially if he knows how to tike care of his own footing, ior piggy likes to get into broken ground if he can ; and if you do not want to lose him you must assuredly follow him into some very awkward places. On one occasion six of us sent our tents with horses, etc., out to Alipore, about ten miles north of the Imperial city, aud we ourselves drove out after dinner. About a mile from our camp, which was on the road, there was a patch of jungle, in which the animate we were after generally lay, so some thirty beaters were collected and sent off the first thing in the morning. They were drawn up in a line at one end of the proposed dris'e, whilst we, having swallowed our biscuits aud coffee, got on our horses, and, dividing into two parties, went by detours to the further end from which the pigs were likely to break cover. Piggy is a sensitive creature, and if he does not see the line in front of him clear he will break back and go clean through the line of beaters. It is therefore advisable to keep well on the flanks, and if possible under cover, waiting till the porker is well clear bsfore starting in chase. When wa were all posted the diive commenced with a great de tl of shouting and halloaing. Presently an old sow with a sounder of squeakers broke, and was allowed to go off rejoicing with her family. Then a couple of boars trottid sulkily out, and, looking about to see if <II was clear, went quietly along. As soon as they had got a hundred yards from cover we started after them. Mac, H , J , and I went off after a leanflanked beast that had the pace of a greyhound.

We had not gone very far when Mac's horse, putting his foot in a hole, went a cropper, bnt there was no time to pick up the pieces, so on we others went. H —- and J were both mounted on faster animals than my little mare, so I was soon left behind. J got first spear, but it was only a flesh score, and as he rode past the boar gave just a slight shake of his head, and 1 could see that J 's horse had got a touch of those curly tusks. Then H rode up and gave the beast a very substantial prod, which made him partly pull up, but H catching his spear in the ground broke it in two. The boar then got his tail to a bank, and stood at bay. In the meantime J had pulled his horse round, and came charging down for a second spear. I don't think he knew his horse had been punished, but as soon as he got near the boar faced him, and the horse stopping dead short threw J almost on to the top of the pig, who took the opportunity., to try the efl'cci of his tiuks on the prostrate form before him. Fortunately, J had on a substantial pair of riding-boots, which, though ripped to pieces, protected him to some extent. As H 's spear was broken he pulled out a Colt's revolver he carried in his belt, and sent a bullet clean through the boar, which fell dead on the top of J . The penetration of a Colt is tremendous, and unfortunately on this occasion not only did it kill the boar, which was standing over J , but it broke the bone of J 's leg, just above the ankle. Where was I all this time ? I was not far off; but the whole thing was done in a few seconds. It takes much longer to write about than it did in the doing of it. We were soon ofl' our horses, aud having pulled the boar to one side we cut .1 's boots off, and I left H , who was a doctor, to bandage up the wounds with our united pocket-handkerchiefs and a puggaree, whilst I went off for a litter and somebody to carry J back to camp. On my «vay I came across Mac. His horse was quietly grazing, whilst he was mooning about, ami, as I thought, looking for something that he had lost; but the poor fellow was quite dazed, and had not got over_ his fall. However, he was soon all right, again. Not so J 1 for his leg took a long time to heal, and he in laine to this day from that pistol shot. The other boar was secured without much trouble by the other two of our party. I forgot to mention that H was a Bombay man, and used the spear of that presidency, a weapon about 12ft long, which is carried under the arm like a lance. The Bengal 3pear is only 9ft long, loaded at the butt, and held en revert. As you ride up to a pig you pkee the point on him, and press it through him a3 you rush past, pinning him down to the ground.