Nature has so strongly marked the wild and the tame Hog with the same
characters, that no hesitation arises in pronouncing the former to be
the stock from whence we have derived the latter. In common, however,
with all other free and domesticated animals, there is a prolongation of
muzzle in the wild species, which is not to be found in those of our
sties. The tusks also are larger; in this instance, as in all others,
showing how bountifully the Great Creator provides for all. The domestic
hog is not required to seek his food and dig roots as his untamed
brother does, and, therefore, the parts most used for these purposes are
not equally developed. Both, however, possess very powerful muscles of
the neck and shoulder, to give movement to their large and strong jaws.
They all have four toes on each foot; the two in the middle being much
the largest and armed with strong hoofs. Their snout looks as if it had
been suddenly chopped off, as if to expose the nostrils, which are
pierced in this truncated portion. Their triangular, canine teeth, or
tusks, project beyond the mouth; those of both jaws curve upwards. They
make very formidable weapons, as many a dog and huntsman has known to
his cost. Wild hogs are covered with stiff, dark brown hair, which gets
grizzly with age, and is more upright along the back. The tail is short;
and in many varieties of the domestic pig, it curls very tightly.
The male wild boar only associates with the female for a short period,
and at other times lives alone, in the thickest parts of dense forests;
coming forth in the evening to procure his food, which is chiefly of a
vegetable nature. It is only when pressed by hunger, that wild hogs will
eat animal substances. The females herd together, and their young
remain with them till they are two or three years old. When they are
about to be born, the mothers retreat as far as possible from the
fathers, as the latter have a most longing desire always to devour their
offspring. The females, left to defend themselves and their children,
place the latter behind them, and expose themselves in a line to the
attacks of an enemy, or they form a circle round them, and evince an
extraordinary amount of fury and courage. Sparrman, the South African
traveller asserts, that the species of wild sow in those regions, when
so closely pursued that it is impossible for them to make off, take the
young pigs in their mouths. To his astonishment, one day, when pursuing
a herd, all the young ones disappeared, nor could he explain the mystery
till aware of this singular fact.
The hunting of wild boars has, from the most ancient times, been
reckoned a noble sport; for it not only called for dexterity and
courage, but was attended with considerable danger, from the extreme
savageness of these animals when at bay, and the facility with which
they rip open their antagonists with their tusks. They were in former
times considered as royal game, and fines were imposed on those who
killed them without having the privilege of doing so. The time of their
extirpation in England is uncertain; but we know that in the reign of
Charles the First, orders were given for some domestic hogs to be turned
into the New Forest, that they might become wild; but they were all
destroyed in the time of Cromwell. Some still exist in the large
European forests, and a variety of hounds are still trained to hunt
them. Horses are particularly alarmed at them, and in the history of
boar-hunts, we constantly read of the sportsmen being forced to alight
from their steeds to take a steady aim. The numbers of ancient arms in
which they are found, and the names of old places derived from them,
attest their numerous presence here; for instance, Brandon, which is
_brawn's den_; brawn being the old term for boar. Their skin is so thick
as frequently to deaden the force of bullets, which, after death, have
been found lying between it and the flesh.
The wild boars of Africa have a broader snout than their European
brethren, and possess two protuberances under the eyes, which prevent
them from seeing anything underneath them. They live in subterranean
holes; and one which had been for some time kept in confinement, was
accidentally left loose in a small court near his cage, upon which he
tore up the pavement, and had already made a deep pit when his keeper
returned. When the natives of Africa spear or entrap one, they tie his
fore-feet together, sling him on a pole, decorate him and themselves
with creeping plants, and return to their huts with triumphant shouts
and rejoicing. The flesh of these is very close-grained, white and
hard. The impossibility of keeping meat in that country till it becomes
tender, makes wild boar flesh almost useless to Europeans, unless their
teeth vie with those of negroes.
Some idea of the sort of sport which attends the chase of wild boars,
may be formed from the following account of one which took place in a
forest in Luxembourg. At a battle, several of these animals were driven
together, and they came rushing on like a squadron of heavy dragoons,
breaking through the underwood. Several shots were fired, and they tried
to disperse. One huntsman got out of the line, and a boar came rushing
upon him; but a fresh shot broke one of his legs; which, however, though
it made him more savage, caused him to turn into the forest. The
well-trained dogs, and the huntsmen pursued him; and when they came up
with him, found him terrifically savage. One of the hounds, more daring
than the rest, made a dart at the beast, seized him by one ear, and
bounded over him to the opposite side. They ran off together, the boar's
head almost turned upside down; but, with a sudden jerk, the dog was
shaken off, and the boar tearing him open, tossed him several feet in
the air. The pack then gathered so thickly round, that the boar's
progress was stayed; the men then came up and cut his throat. At another
point of the wood, a sow, weighing three hundred pounds, and followed
by her young, was wounded, and furiously pursued a hunter, whom she
surprised in a narrow pass between two rocks. He waited her approach and
fired, or rather tried to do so, but his gun missed; he then, in an
instant, fell on his face and hands, and the sow ran over his body.
Rising, and loading his gun, he provoked the sow again by his cries. The
foaming creature, with flashing eyes, turned upon him; but this time she
received the charge in her head and fell.
Wild hogs are easily domesticated, and as easily resume their
uncivilized habits; but they seem then to keep in packs. Mr. Byam
relates the following adventure with these renegades:--"I was one day
hunting alone, on foot, in a rather open wood, when a large boar made
his appearance about sixty yards off, and not seeing any of his
companions, I let fly the ball, and tumbled him over. He gave a fierce
grunt or two as he lay; and a large herd of boars and sows rushed out of
some thick underwood behind him, and, after looking at the fallen beast
for a few seconds, made a dash at me: but they were a trifle too late,
for on catching sight of them, I ran to a tree, 'cut up' it for life,
and had only just scrambled into some diverging branches, about ten feet
from the ground, when the whole herd arrived; grunting and squeaking, at
the foot of the tree. I could not help laughing at the ridiculous figure
I must have made, chased up a tree by a dozen of pigs; but it soon
turned out no laughing matter, for their patience was not, as I
expected, soon exhausted; and they settled round the tree about twenty
yards distant, and kept looking at me with their little twinkling eyes,
as much as to say, 'We'll have you yet.'" So far are Mr. Byam's own
words; and I now give the sequel in a more abridged form, though, by so
doing, I feel that I deprive the story of some of its zest:--Having made
up his mind to a regular siege, he examined his resources, and found
them to be a double-barreled gun, a flask of powder (nearly full),
plenty of copper caps; a few charges of shot; only two balls; a knife,
flint, and steel; a piece of hard, dried tongue; a small flask of
spirits and water; and a good bundle of cigars. He could not expect
relief, a sally was out of the question; so he made himself as
comfortable as he could. Hour after hour passed, the pigs never stirred,
except when one or two returned to look at their dead comrade, as if to
sharpen their revenge. At length the imprisoned hunter thought of firing
off some powder every few minutes, shouting at the same time. One barrel
of his gun was still loaded with shot, and he aimed at an old boar; who,
on returning from his deceased friend, had looked up at him and grunted.
The whole charge, at a distance of about twenty feet, went into the
boar's face, who then turned round and ran away, making a horrible
noise. The rest of the party charged altogether up to the foot of the
tree, but the outcry of the old boar drew them away; and the whole herd
went after him, making such a noise as never before had saluted Mr.
Byam's ears. He remained in the tree a short time; and, when all was
quiet, he slipped down, and ran away as fast as he could, in a contrary
direction.
Hogs are not equally prized by all nations. The detestation in which
they were held by the Egyptians, was continued by the Israelites; not
only from living with those people, but because they were unclean
animals. They are still viewed in that light by Brahmins and Mussulmans,
who only rear them to sell to Christians, or to make scavengers of them,
for, in a domestic state, they are omnivorous. The dislike of the latter
to them was once very serviceable to me; for when we were bivouacking
close to a Mahommedan village, the people, and the priests thronged
around us, so as to be extremely troublesome; and the only way in which
we could keep them at a distance, without force, was by tying pieces of
ham over the different entrances of the building in which we were.
Somewhat like rats, there seems to be a mysterious distribution of swine
all over the face of the earth; and much astonishment was created in the
minds of the discoverers of the South Sea Islands, by finding them in
those far-off specks of the earth. Perhaps there had been earlier
navigators there than ourselves.
Pork, fresh or cured, forms the principal food of our sailors and
peasantry; and most precious is the pig to the poor man. It is often the
pet of the younger branches of his family, and returns their affection
with interest.
Of course, it is an idle fable that pigs can see and smell the wind; but
it is perfectly true that they are always much agitated when a storm is
approaching.
Considering the stupid way in which they run when they are frightened,
the manner in which they squeak on all occasions, and the obstinacy
which they evince, very often when an endeavour is made to add to their
relief or comfort, it is not surprising that a low estimate of their
intelligence should hare been formed. Nevertheless, they have been
trained to point out letters and spell words, till they have acquired
the appellation of "learned pigs." What, however, is more useful, they
draw the plough in the south of France--they are taught to hunt the
truffles, which are hidden under the soil--they even stand at game like
the most accomplished pointers. The latter instruction was conveyed by
means of stones and pudding; if they failed in their duty, they received
the former; but when they drooped their ears and tail, and sank upon
their knees, nor rose till the birds had already risen, they feasted on
"lumps o' pudding."
Of the voracity of pigs, there are many stories, all more or less
disagreeable; and none more so than when they have killed and partially
eaten children, and utterly devoured their young keepers. Such stories
have been too well authenticated to be doubted; but they are exceptions
to the general history of the animal. It is much more pleasing to refer
to the life, death, and burial of poor Jean, who was saved out of a
litter of six (born on board ship) from the butcher's knife. She was
brought up as a pet, and suffered to run about deck, among sheep and
goats. Most of the live stock was washed off, but Jean remained because
she had been stowed away in the long boat. In warm latitudes the men
took their meals on deck, and she was always one of the mess, poking her
nose into every bread bag, and scalding it in the soup. The sailors
poured grog down her throat, and twice made her tipsy; and she behaved
as most individuals do on such occasions.
In consequence of the scarcity of fresh provisions in the Chinese seas,
Jean was ordered to be killed, her fry to be eaten one day, her head
made into turtle soup the next, and after that, her legs, etc., roasted;
but the ship's company pleaded that she might be spared, stating, among
other reasons, that when called, she came like a dog. "Jean! Jean!"
exclaimed the captain, and she bounced along, tripping up the officer of
the watch.
Like most pets, Jean became intolerably fat and lazy, in which condition
she was an object of great attraction to the Chinese; they longed for
her, wanted to buy her, begged for her, and watched for her, knowing she
must die soon, and then be thrown overboard. Jack, however, had no
inclination to gratify the Chinamen, and when poor Jean breathed her
last, two masses of ballast iron were placed, one on each cheek, and
lashed to her neck and shoulders in such a manner, that by their
projection they made a long, sharp snout, which would penetrate into the
mud. She was lowered over the ship's side, head foremost, and when below
the surface of the water, the rope was cast off, and her well-loaded
carcase went down too deep, even for the search of the cunning
Chinese.[6]
[6] The source whence I obtained this anecdote has escaped me; but I
think it is from the pen of Captain Basil Hall.