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    32 ABaEEINE NOTESo

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    ¦ » The Wild Boae.

    fieations of Algiers . At dusk , numerous bands of jackals called each other together and went to devour the offal of the

    slaughterhouses near the gates . In the houses there were innumerable rats , mice"bats , and , instead of cats , snakes , which preyed upon _these

    , vermin . Now and then I spent a night in walking in the deep ravines and

    on the hills to hear the cries of the various beasts ; once a week I usually hunted with a party of Europeans and Arabs .

    The wild boar was our principal game . Wild boars being reputed _impLire _, and their flesh prohibited hy the Koran , they had multiplied

    immensely . The Arabs had not killed any of them . A farmer of " my acquaintance in 1839 near the Harach riverkilled seventy by

    lurking in ambush in one , potato field . To poachers , this was a very profitable employment , as each wild boar sold for twenty or

    twenty-five shillings . For us , we hunted in broad day and in the open field . Our favorite ground was the plain , of Staoueli , where

    the convent of Trappists now stands ; and more than once seven or eig Some ht heads of our fell Arabs under could our hands discover in a the . sing boar le day by . scenting it . "When

    the animal stood fast in its lair they addressed it in some such manner as this : "Go out , ugly beast ! Art thou afraid of our clogs ?*

    Behold this coward ! Why dost thou rest here , idle creature , when the day is so fine ? Run away ! Dost thou believe that I do not

    see thee ? Ho ! carrion , son of carrion ! ho ! Jew , son of a Jew ! run run away . " While addressing him thusthey cast stones at

    > him away _; , the dogs barked furiously , but entered the bush , very cautiously . The beast once out of his lair , was easily put an end to by a

    gunshot or l > y Goudzel , one of our dogs . This dog and his deeds must be described , both being of a very African character . He . was a

    strong , high , slender , Saharian greyhound : the most capricious _oJt the whole canine race . He would never follow any one who had

    not a gun . When out hunting , he returned home if no game was found . The menace of a blow , or a word said in an angry tone ,

    caused him often to take his departure : as long as the wild boar was in his lairhe seemed indifferentbut as soon as it took to flight ,

    Goudzel immediatel , y sprang in pursuit , , always choosing the shortest way . Hushing at his adversary he struck at its flank , then seizing

    it by the ear he jumped nimbly over the back of the boar , overthrew - it and held it fast till a huntsman could come up and give the

    deathblow . If the wild boar rose , the greyhound again began the same rarel play y with escaped such . If astonishing the boar dexterity instead of and flying perseverance 1 turned on that his enemy a boar ,

    the dog jumped over him and , , seizing him near , the tail , dragged him backwards . How this dog became so skilful was the wonder of all

    huntsmen . It is probable that when young he had seized a wild boar by the thin end of the ear , and the beast by a side shock had

    with rent its its tusks . This in the happens teeth of often the dog to the ; and apprentice instantly , dogs had : struck When it .

    32 Abaeeine Noteso

    32 _ABaEEINE _NOTESo

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Sept. 1, 1861, page 32, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01091861/page/32/