It is said that Captain Cook introduced pigs into New Zealand. They were at the time I write of, the only wild quadrupeds in the land, except rats (for which I believe the country is also indebted to Captain Cook), but together they made up for no end of absentees by their prodigious1 powers of breeding.
Most of the middle island was infested2 with pigs; they principally inhabited the low hills and river bed flats and swamps, and would come down on to the large plains in herds3 for feeding on the root of a plant called spear grass, to obtain which they would tear up the sward and injure large tracts5 of grazing land.
Their depredations6 became so extensive that the Provincial7 Government was obliged to take steps for their extermination8 by letting contracts for killing9 them off, at, I think, sixpence per head, or rather tail, and by this means I have known a single district cleared of 8,000 to 10,000 pigs in a season.
Pig-hunting on the hills is not the inspiriting amusement it is on the plains. In the former they must be hunted on foot, and shot down, riding being impracticable, while on the plain they were hunted on horseback with dogs bred for the purpose, and the huntsman's weapon is only a short heavy knife sharpened on both sides to a point like a dagger10, and suspended in a sheath attached to the waist belt. Spears were sometimes used, but they were of a very rough and primitive11 description, and not effective. Pig-sticking on the modern scientific principles was not then practised in New Zealand.
For a day's pig-hunting on the plains a party of men on strong and fast horses, with a few kangaroo dogs and a bullock dray in attendance, formed the hunting party. The location of the herd4 is previously12 noted13 and kept quiet. The dogs are held in leash14 till well within sight, say, from half to one mile off. The animals are easily startled, and they know that their best chance of safety depends on their reaching the hills before their pursuers overtake them.[Pg 42]
With a fast horse, giving full-grown pigs a start of a mile, it will be all the huntsman can do to pick them up in a gallop15 of 3 to 5 miles, and the best chance in his favour is when there is a herd, and not only a single pig or small number of strong hardy16 fellows. Until pressed the herd will keep pretty much together, and if by good management the hunters contrive17 to get to leeward18 of them as well as to intercept19 them from making direct for the cover of the hills they are sure of good sport.
The kangaroo dog (so called) was a cross between a stag-hound and mastiff, very fast and powerful, and he ran only by sight. A well-trained dog on overhauling20 his pig will run up on the near side and seize the boar by the off lug21, thereby22 protecting himself from being ripped by the animal's tusks23. Then the hunter should be on the spot to jump off his horse and assist the dog by plunging25 his knife into the beast's heart from the off side.
With a good dog the danger to which the experienced hunter is exposed is slight. A properly trained, courageous26 dog will hold the largest boar for several minutes in the manner described and will not let him go till forced to from sheer exhaustion27. But if he is obliged to disengage himself before assistance arrives, he will very probably be ripped or killed.
The trained bush horse will stand quietly where his rider leaves him, never attempting to move further from the spot than to nibble28 the grass will necessitate29.
One day, having heard that a large mob of pigs had come down on the plains near the gorge30 of the Rakaia, some fifteen miles off, we at once organised a hunt, and two neighbours from another station promised to join us.
A rendezvous31 was fixed32 upon where we were to meet at daybreak, a bullock dray having been sent on the previous night. We were all well mounted and equipped with three fine dogs. After riding some ten miles we separated, taking up a long line over the plain, and using our field glasses to obtain an idea of the position of the herd as soon as possible, and thus give us time to arrange a plan of attack before coming to too close quarters, the animals being very quick to scent33 danger.
One of our friends, Legge, who was riding on the extreme left, was the first to discover the herd, and he galloped34 up to say that there were a considerable number of pigs about two miles further east, scattered35 amongst the cabbage[Pg 43] trees near a small river bed. On approaching carefully till within view we could count upwards36 of fifty, and many seemed to be large boars; no young pigs were visible. The latter, indeed, seldom came far out on the plains, their elders probably fearing that in the event of surprise they would not be able to run with the rest of the herd.
The whole mob of pigs lay directly between us and the hills, which were almost five miles distant, so it became necessary for us to divide and make wide detours37, so as to obtain a position on their further side without being seen. This movement took about an hour, but we succeeded under cover of snow grass and cabbage trees in approaching within half a mile of the herd, with the hills behind us, before they took the alarm. Then all were speedily in motion, but as our position prevented them from taking a direct line to shelter, they ran wildly, and so gave us a considerable advantage.
The order for attack was now given; the dogs were slipped, and away we went like a whirlwind, each singling out a pig and taking the boars first, as did the horses.
Owing to our first advantage we picked up with the leaders in a couple of miles, and two of the largest boars were immediately seized by the dogs close together in a piece of bad marshy40 ground, covered with snow and spear grass, much rooted and honeycombed. Smith, who was first in the running, narrowly escaped a broken neck. The huge sixteen hand mare41 he rode planted her feet in a hole and somersaulted, throwing Smith on to one of the boars and dog engaged, but the latter was game, and by his pluck and smartness saved his master and himself from being ripped, and before Smith was fairly on his feet the boar had six inches of steel through his heart and his career was ended.
During the few minutes we were here engaged, the other boar, a powerful and fierce brute42, had forced the dog which seized him some fifty yards down a dry gully, and it was clear that unless he was speedily relieved the dog would have the worst of the encounter. Smith and I rushed to his assistance none too soon. The boar, in his struggles, had already slightly ripped the dog on the shoulder, and the blood was streaming down his leg and breast, but the plucky43 hound still held on, lying close on the near side, while his teeth were fast through the boar's off lug, the latter striving all he could to get his head round and tusk24 the dog. Added to this the position they had contrived44 to get themselves[Pg 44] into was unfortunate; the boar was so close to the bank it was impossible to reach his off side, and the dog lay so close he could not be touched on the other.
Smith was a powerful fellow, and in fun of this kind would have faced a boar singlehanded. He called to me that he would rush in and seize the boar by his hind39 legs and try to pull him round, while I watched my opportunity to jump between him and the bank. It was our only chance to save the dog, at any rate, and luckily it proved successful. As Smith laid on I jumped, and although I fell on all fours between the boar and the slippery bank, I contrived just in time to drive the knife into his heart, and the huge beast rolled over and with a few gasps45 died. We were both exhausted46, and the poor dog, when the excitement was over, lay down with a low whine47, thoroughly48 done up from exhaustion and loss of blood. We washed and bound his wound as well as we could and tied him to a bush of snow grass to await the dray.
Encounter with Wild Boar
Encounter with Wild Boar.
Legge and Forde had already despatched a large boar and two full-grown sows, and were in chase of others. We came up with them when they were engaged with a fine young boar which had sheltered and come to bay in a clump49 of thorny50 scrub (wild Irishman, so called). Neither dogs nor men could reach him, and the only plan was to irritate him till he bolted. This was difficult, but at length successful, and the beast made a rush straight for us. However, he was bent51 on defence rather than offence, and we escaped his tusks. Legge was first mounted and away with one of the dogs in chase, but going over the rough, honeycombed ground I mentioned he too met with a bad fall which threw him out of the running, and now Smith, Forde, and I were in full cry with the two dogs.
By this time both dogs and horses were somewhat blown, whereas the boar having had a rest we feared would escape, and reaching a low swampy52 flat he disappeared in a large patch of snow grass and reeds. As we were not sure of his exact position, we decided53 to ride through in line, to endeavour to drive him again to the open. In doing so the boar broke covert54 under Forde's horse's legs, and ripped him below the hock. This rendered Forde and his horse hors de combat, and Smith and I had the chase again in our hands. For nearly a mile that boar led us a furious dance over villainous ground, through spear grass and swamp, in momentary55 danger of being thrown or torn by thorny shrub56, twisting and doubling[Pg 45] in and out of inaccessible57 places, but he was beginning to show signs of fatigue58, and we saw he could not make much fight when once the dogs got hold. The latter were in fierce excitement, having lost their prey59 so often. After a final spurt60 of half a mile they pulled him down, and he was easily despatched.
Our bag was now six pigs, of which four were boars, and we had been actually hunting for about three hours, including the time spent in making the detour38. After cutting off a ham and the head of the last boar, we carried them back to where we left Forde with his wounded horse. Legge had already arrived, and we all sat down to take some food while awaiting the arrival of the dray.
The remainder of the herd had reached the hills long since, and there was no more sport to be had in the neighbourhood that day. Forde removed his saddle and bridle61 to be sent on the dray and turned his horse loose to find his way to the run, while he started on foot to the nearest station to procure62 another mount to carry him home. The rest of us proceeded to a flat near the first gorge of the Ashburton, where we succeeded in killing five other pigs before the evening closed. Forde's horse reached his station as soon as his wounded leg permitted him, but the wound being found more serious than anticipated, and that he would be lame63 for life, it was decided to destroy him.
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1
prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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2
infested
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| adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于 | |
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3
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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5
tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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6
depredations
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| n.劫掠，毁坏( depredation的名词复数 ) | |
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7
provincial
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| adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人 | |
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8
extermination
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| n.消灭，根绝 | |
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9
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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10
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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11
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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12
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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13
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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14
leash
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| n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住 | |
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15
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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16
hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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17
contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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18
leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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19
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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20
overhauling
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| n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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21
lug
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| n.柄，突出部，螺帽；(英）耳朵；（俚）笨蛋；vt.拖，拉，用力拖动 | |
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22
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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23
tusks
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| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
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24
tusk
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| n.獠牙，长牙，象牙 | |
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25
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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26
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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27
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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28
nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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29
necessitate
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| v.使成为必要，需要 | |
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30
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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31
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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32
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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33
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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34
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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35
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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36
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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37
detours
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| 绕行的路( detour的名词复数 )； 绕道，兜圈子 | |
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38
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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39
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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40
marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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41
mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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42
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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43
plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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44
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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45
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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46
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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47
whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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48
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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49
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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50
thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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51
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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52
swampy
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| adj.沼泽的，湿地的 | |
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53
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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54
covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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55
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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56
shrub
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| n.灌木，灌木丛 | |
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57
inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
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58
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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59
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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60
spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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61
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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62
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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63
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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