om us, and were going at full speed, one only remained
on the ground; another, however, was seen in difficulties, and
surrendered his stakes after a hard run of some six miles.

Towards evening, we had a brilliant affair with an old wild-boar (the
_vleck vark_), his wife, and children.

We were told by the people at the waggons that the brutes had passed
some time before we returned to lunch, and, having a good supply of
eland-beef, the Boers thought that some bacon would be very palatable.
We therefore took all the curs that were with the waggons, and went out
in search of the party. We got the spoor immediately, and, partly by
that and partly by the aid of the dogs, we drew up to some rocky hills,
that presented anything but a favourable ground for galloping. The boar
was seen a long way on ahead, leading his sow and sucklings at a trot,
which was increased to a rapid gallop as our approach became known to
him. The pace at which the whole party went along the rocky ground was
more than we could manage to beat, until a long, flat, grassy plain
again became the scene of contest. As we neared, we sent the curs in
advance, who, without difficulty, overhauled the chase. The movements
of the boar family were most absurd; with tails sticking straight up,
they galloped along, putting their snouts up in the air occasionally to
have a look over their backs at their pursuers; this gave to their whole
action a most absurd appearance. These creatures are obliged to do
thus, because their eyes are placed so far forward, and their necks are
so stiff, that they cannot see to the right or left by turning the head.
On the outside of the eye a large lump of flesh protrudes, which also
limits the lateral vision considerably.

As the dogs came up to the pigs, they laid hold of one of those
invitingly-carried tails, and soon reduced it to a stump. The wild-boar
himself was armed with a formidable pair of semicircular tusks in the
upper jaw, while the lower jaw was furnished with those sharp, straight,
short tusks that soon rip up a dog, as they did most effectually on the
present occasion a large cur which ventured to pin the pig himself.
When we were close to the herd, the boar slackened his speed, and had a
wicked expression about the eye that indicated a wish for mischief.
Little time was given to him for consideration, as a well-directed
bullet laid him low. A young pig which I succeeded in catching was a
regular little varmi