dead body under pain of losing caste), we hauled the putrid carcase to
shore, and on cutting it open, found the glass armlets and brass
ornaments of no less than five women and the silver ornaments of three
children, all in a lump in the brute's stomach. Its skull was
completely smashed and shattered to pieces by my shot. Its teeth were
crusted with tartar, and worn almost to the very stumps. It measured
nineteen feet.

But during this digression my friends Pat and Willie have been waiting
on the banks of the 'Teljuga.' I reached their tents late at night,
found them both in high spirits after a good day's execution among the
ducks and teal, and preparations being made for catching an alligator
next day. Up early in the morning, we beat some grass close by the
stream, and roused out an enormous boar that gave us a three mile spin
and a good fight, after Pat had given him first spear. After breakfast
we got our tackle ready.

This was a large iron hook with a strong shank, to which was attached a
stout iron ring. To this ring a long thick rope was fastened, and I
noticed for several yards the strands were all loose and detached, and
only knotted at intervals. I asked Pat the reason of this curious
arrangement, and was told that if we were lucky enough to secure a
_mugger_, the loose strands would entangle themselves amongst his
formidable teeth, whereas were the rope in one strand only he might
bite it through; the knottings at intervals were to give greater
strength to the line. We now got our bait ready. On this occasion it
was a live tame duck. Passing the bend of the hook round its neck, and
the shank under its right wing, we tied the hook in this position with
thread. We then made a small raft of the soft pith of the
plantain-tree, tied the duck to the raft and committed it to the