Pig-Hunt In Fiji
p. 46 · Read in the full issue
By W. H. Smith
rIS is an’ offering from young Fiji, now in Auckland (we imagine) at school. It was written by W. S. Smith, but whether the author is a boy or a girl we do not know.
PIG-HUNTING in Fiji is not an easy game, with the country’s tangled undergrowth and dense bush, which one has to penetrate. But after round ing up the dogs and getting ready for the march, it has a thrill of its own.
On entering the bush a beautiful scene is disclosed—the tall trees with their ever-winding streamers, running from branch to branch, the birds in their native haunts and the musical tinkle of a creek that seems to be ever-present.
The sky is scarcely visible as the mas sive trees stand stately around us; there is no path, except the narrow track be fore us; there are pig tracks, yet there is no sign of these bush dwellers.
In this region there exists a plant life of wild and superbly beautiful “Bala- Bala” palms, ferns in many varieties and fascinating climbing “Walai” —all this we see and enjoy in a leisurely way.
The bush is alive, one can feels its pulse.
We now pause while the dogs are out; silence reigns supreme, then at last, a bark of a dog breaks the stillness, and after exchanging words we follow hot in pursuit.
In our haste we stumble now and again as we follow in the direction of our quarry.
There is a scuffle and a grunt; a wild
pig is seen for a fleeting moment and the bush seems alive. Pigs always fol low low country when attacked.
Arriving on the scene, to our delight we find the dogs have bailed up the quarry.
The animal now cornered fights to the bitter end, in a furious rage; endeavour ing to break away from the attackers he scatters the dogs—but then the bullet finds its mark. fIIHE natives hunt these pigs for their X good-eating flesh, also because they are destructive to plantations. A full-grown boar stands about 2 ft. 6 in., has a long snout, is fleet of foot and keen of sense.
From the ivory-like tusks are made brooches, bracelets and other articles of adornment.
When young, they are easily domes ticated and become one of the best of pets, trotting along the road behind you just as any dog would do.
A troublesome weed called Paddy’s Lucerne has appeared on the north coast of Viti Levu, Fiji, where it is thought to have been introduced at Vatia in straw packing. It has already spread ail over the Vatia district and as far as the Colonial Sugar Refining Company’s estates at Yaqara and Caboni. The company is seriously alarmed, and states that unless it is controlled there will be no further cattle-raising in Viti Levu. Yaqara car ries thousands of head of beef cattle and draught horses. The weed grows 3 to 4 feet on poor land and 5 to 6 feet on good land, and completely destroys all grasses. —“Colonial Review.”