WILD BOAR HUNTING IN NORTHERN INDIA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 493, 21 August 1912, Page 7

WILD BOAR HUNTING IN NORTHERN INDIA.

Major-General Alexander Kinloch, C.B. author of "Large Game Shooting in Tibet, the Himalayas, Northern and Central India," relates (says "The Strand Magazine") an exciting adventure he had with a wild boar in India early in the year IS6B. ifc

Wq were, he remarks, encamped about twenty miles from Moradabad, on tha Bareilly road. The country hereabouts is very flat, and at the time of which I am speaking was covered with growing corn about 18 inches high. Lounging near our mess tent late one afternoon we were suddenly aroused by loud cries of "Jangli Sur !" Looking out we saw a large boar galloping through some shallow water about three hundred yards away. To jump into the saddle and set off in pursuit was the work of less than two minutes. I speedily overhauled the quarry, and induced him to quicken his pace, when two wretched natives who> were standing in the corn attracted his attention. They turned to flee, but were rapidly overtaken by the infuriated beast, arid one of them was sent flying head over heels. Seeing me just behind him, however, the animal did not stop to damage the man further, but made off as fast as he could.. I soon caught him up, and gave him three spears in rapid succession. To my horror, I found that in my haste I had picked up a blunt spear, and none of my thrusts did much harm. Each attack was followed by a vicious and determined charge on the part of the animal, which, having no spurs, I found hard to avoid. We had now. reached a field of higher corn, and here the boar, turning suddenly round, charged full tilt at my horse's chest. My mount was knocked completely off its legs, and I found myself flying through space. Regaining my feet I had just time to lower myi spear wh sn the ferocious beast rushed at; me. The point glanced aside from its tough hide, I was thrown violently to the ground, and the pig continued to attack me most savagely. My only chance now of escaping with my life was to prevent the boar from getting his tusks into my stomach ; so, keeping my left hand to the front and letting him rip at it, I seized gim by the foreleg with my right and tried to throw him. My efforts were ineffectual, and meanwhile the vicious beast kept cutting me with his tusks. I then tried the dodge of shamming. Lying flat on tny face, and keeping perfectly still, I hoped the boar would leave me for dead. But the obdurate animal kept digging at 1 me as savagely as ever, and I got two severe cuts on tbg bead.

This evidently would not do, so I jumped up and, grasping my spear with both hands, drove it with all the strength I was capable of against the brute's chest. But the blunt point would not penetrate, and once again I was knocked down.

Matters were now becoming serious indeed. I was all but giving myself up for lost, when to my unspeakable relief I heard the sound of horses galloping. My shouts for help were heard, and as the riders came up the boar discreetly perceived that it was time for him to make himself scarce. E was scarlet from head to foot — my clothes cut into ribbons —and I was carried back to camp in a doolie. Altogether I had received about Sfty wounds, many of them very severe, which took nearly four hours to dress. Fortunately I was in good health at the time, and within a month I was on horseback again. . But the tendons of my left arm were damaged, and from that day to this I have never recovered the - perfect use of my\ left hand.

What became of the boar ? He was hunted for nest day ; but, though my friends found a savage boar which they failed to account for, it was impossible to say whether was mv enemy or not.