they came rushing on like a squadron of heavy dragoons,
breaking through the underwood. Several shots were fired, and they tried
to disperse. One huntsman got out of the line, and a boar came rushing
upon him; but a fresh shot broke one of his legs; which, however, though
it made him more savage, caused him to turn into the forest. The
well-trained dogs, and the huntsmen pursued him; and when they came up
with him, found him terrifically savage. One of the hounds, more daring
than the rest, made a dart at the beast, seized him by one ear, and
bounded over him to the opposite side. They ran off together, the boar's
head almost turned upside down; but, with a sudden jerk, the dog was
shaken off, and the boar tearing him open, tossed him several feet in
the air. The pack then gathered so thickly round, that the boar's
progress was stayed; the men then came up and cut his throat. At another
point of the wood, a sow, weighing three hundred pounds, and followed
by her young, was wounded, and furiously pursued a hunter, whom she
surprised in a narrow pass between two rocks. He waited her approach and
fired, or rather tried to do so, but his gun missed; he then, in an
instant, fell on his face and hands, and the sow ran over his body.
Rising, and loading his gun, he provoked the sow again by his cries. The
foaming creature, with flashing eyes, turned upon him; but this time she
received the charge in her head and fell.

Wild hogs are easily domesticated, and as easily resume their
uncivilized habits; but they seem then to keep in packs. Mr. Byam
relates the following adventure with these renegades:--"I was one day
hunting alone, on foot, in a rather open wood, when a large boar made
his appearance about sixty yards off, and not seeing any of his
companions, I let fly the ball, and tumbled him over. He gave a fierce
grunt or two as he lay; and a large herd of boars and sows rushed out of
some thick underwood behind him, and, after looking at the fallen beast
for a few seconds, made a dash at me: but they were a trifle too late,
for on catching sight of them, I ran to a tree, 'cut up' it for life,
and had only just scrambled into some diverging branches, about ten feet
from the ground, when the whole herd arrived; grunting and squeaking, at
the foot of the tree. I could not help laughing at the ridiculous figure
I must have made, chased up a tree by a dozen of pigs; but it soon
turned out no laughing matter, for their patience wa