His aversion is not stronger than that felt by the hog-hunter towards the carnal-minded creature who would shoot a pig.

In the high hills and great jungles, where spearing from horseback is entirely out of the question, it is, of course, perfectly legitimate to slay pig in the most convenient manner. With most, perhaps, the lust of slaughter is so keen as to render a tempting chance irresistible. Moreover, meat may be required for the camp. But even then many an old pig-sticker entertains an invincible aversion to the use of his gun— whether smooth-bore or rifled in the destruction of swine, except in the case of self-defence. In like manner it would be difficult to overcome the scruples of some English fox-hunters regarding; the shooting of foxes in the highlands of Scotland. These objections, however, like some others of a similar nature, are mere matters of personal taste and feeling, and their absence is not in any way censurable by the strictest sportsman.

The tussle for the spear. - Frontispiece.

But not as a trophy dearly prized by the hog-hunter, and sometimes as dearly won can the shooter show the glittering tush. No ! to him it is nothing more than a curved piece of ivory, a tooth, without any special interest attaching to it, beyond such as naturally cleaves to all spolia opima, however insignificant. But to the rider who has slain his antagonist in a fair fight with spear only, it is invested with a dignity, a veneration, an attachment, such as no other trophy possesses.

I have mentioned fox-hunting in connection with pig-sticking. But, except that both are pursued on horseback, there is no common element of comparison between them. Each has its individual attractions, though of a very different nature. One is essentially a wild sport, the other a more artificial one.

Wild boars are found either by driving fields, high grass lands, ravines, and jungles, or by tracking them to their lair. But in either case the great object of the hunter is to obtain first-spear. The rider who first draws blood, however slight the wound, is entitled to the tusks ; and this, therefore, forms the great object of contention. The pig is considered and referred to as his pig, whoever may deal the death blow.