Boar Hunting

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 8, 3 July 1890, Page 3

Boar Hunting

• A DESPERATE CHASE! I was looking round a flock of ewes and lambs, early one September morning, in 1872,. when I discovered that a large pig had been killing and devouring some of the lambs. On looking further I saw the brute, tearing to pieces a lamb lie had just caught. I went away home with all speed for a gun. The only weapon I had was an old Enfield rifle, and it had been loaded for several months. However, I thought that with fresh priming that I could manage without drawing the charge. So off 1 started in pursuit of the boar I had seem. I took . with me a collie, dog which I had found ■yery useful for finding and bailing up wild pigs. I went back to the spot where I had seen the. boar, but he had gone. The dog, however, found him a little later oni amongst some bunches of fern and toi on the bill side, about a quarter of a mile from where I had first seen him. I weni up the ridge above where the brute was at bay, as he was sure to go in that direction if he made off. He did not seem inclined to move, so I went very cautiously down the hill to try for a shot And when .about forty yards away from the spot where the boar was standing, I got a splendid sight at him. He was standing Bide on to me champing his tusks furiously, evidently waiting forth© dog to make the first advance, and sharpening Ins formidable tusks for the dog's reception, meanwhile. I took a «arefnl sight, pulled the trigger, and— snap again, the rifle had missed tire. I tried a second cap, and— snap again, two ' more caps with the same result. I found now to my disgust that I had only one more «ap left » n m y pouch, so I would have to be very careful with it if I waß to get the boar, which, it is needless to say, I "w* B very anxious to do. With a pin' I carefully cleaned out the nipple of the nfle, primed again, took a very ■carefuTaim— snap, fizz, bang, the gun had .certainly gonebff , but had huriffire. Any ■way thepigwaghit,and he waslying kicking a few feet from where he had been standing. I rushed down the hill to despatch frfni witb/-my knife ; but before I could reach hint he had risen to his feet, and, catching sight of me, charged directly at Ilia enemy, iHe was hard hit close to the baoKbone, just above the loins, but had t considerable- life left in him. I knew from the savage gleam of his eye that he meant business. Only a week before ] had » dog killed by a wounded boar • therefore I felt no inclination for a bbui with this warlike customer. I turned ii haste to leave Km, and ran up bill. I knev X would be at a great disadvantage witi jfcU I ran down. He gained on me verj

quickly. Finding I could not get awa; from the brute I clubbed my rifle ant turned to fight him. I hit him severa times over the head with the butt, whei 3 a savage knock with his tusks sent th< j weapon spinning out of my hands. I wai 1 in a worse plight than ever. I turne< and ran again, the determined brute stil following. I gained the top of the hill— ' a small flat, with bunches of fern, rushes ■ &c, scattered about, and ran first one r way then the other, the boar at my heels , all the time. I thought he must be los | ing strength, and I knew I could not continue much longer. At last in sheer des- > peration I made a spring to jump into a bunch of lawyer vines beside me, my fool caught in a loop of the yine, and I fell prone on my face in a network of brambles. I certainly thought my time had come. I heard a gurgling kind of sigh close to my feet the moment I fell. Quaking, scratched, but safe, I scrambled to my feet and saw my foe lying dead within five feet of where I had fallen. Examining the dead hero I recognised in him the one which had killed a neighbor's dog some six months before. I went away from the spot thankful for my escape, vowing mentally that next time I went on a boar hunt I would be more sure of my gun being in shooting condition. Being frightened nearly to death is not sport. B.