He was a middling-sized
boar, as near as I could guess, about two and a half
hundredweight.
Fortunately, none of the pack were seriously hurt, although his
tusks were as sharp as a knife. This was owing to the short
duration of the fight, and also to the presence of so many
seizers, who backed each other up without delay.
There is no saying to what size a wild boar grows. I have never
killed them with the hounds above four hundredweight; but I have
seen solitary boars in the low country, that must have weighed
nearly double.
I believe the flesh is very good; by the natives it is highly
prized; but I have so strong a prejudice against it from the
sights I have seen of their feasting upon putrid elephants that I
never touch it.
The numbers of wild hogs in the low country is surprising, and
these are most useful in cleaning up the carcases of dead animals
and destroying vermin. I seldom or never fire at hog in those
districts, as their number is so great that there is no sport in
shooting them. They travel about in herds of one and two hundred,
and even more. These are composed of sows and young boars, as
the latter leave the herd when arrived at maturity.
CHAPTER VII.
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