4 Lord Lilford's Cruise in the Mediterranean. 



man, who is generally in a hurry, and cannot understand why 

 he cannot have any article that he is ready to pay for there 

 and then. Having, as I say, after three days of perfectly 

 unnecessary driving from pillar to post, obtained the pre- 

 cious document, and thinking I might perhaps get a Gull or 

 two in the harbour, I took a boat, and stood away for the 

 extreme west corner of the fine bay to a spot where my boat- 

 man informed me we should find many ducks, and perhaps 

 o-et a shot. The Gulls, though swarming in the small inner 

 harbour, where shooting is not allowed, took such good care 

 of themselves out in the bay, that I could not get a shot ; the 

 ducks were of course a myth ; and the only birds I saw were 

 the Kingfisher mentioned above, and a few Crossbills in a 

 pine-wood, which also perfectly understood the meaning of a 

 gun. I think my old boatman, an old man-of-war's man, 

 who had been a prisoner in England during Napoleon's war 

 with us, wished to revenge his wrongs ; for not content with 

 taking me, as a representative of " la perfide Albion," in 

 pursuit of imaginary ducks, he further persuaded me to fish 

 in a blazing sun and thirty fathoms of water, for a whole 

 day, the sole result being the capture of a few very small 

 " bogues " (a perfectly worthless fish) and a sharp attack of 

 rheumatic gout, brought on by the sudden piercing chill at sun- 

 set after the great heat of the day. Experience is invaluable ; 

 but I certainly, on this occasion, paid a high price in learning 

 that sport, in the south of France at all events, is a delusion 

 and a snare, and that the inhabitants are, as a rule, wholly 

 untrustworthy. I was laid up for three weeks, fortunately in a 

 good hotel, and well attended by our Doctor, Mr. Sidney 

 Morris, who accompanied us through the cruise, and to whose 

 activity and eagerness for la chasse I am indebted for many 

 of my specimens. Being just able to move, I went on board 

 the yacht on 2Gth of December, and sailed the following day 

 for Cannes. The coast is exceedingly beautiful ; and the 

 weather was fine. We lay one night in the roads of Hyeres. 

 On these islands there really is some shooting, as they are 

 preserved ; and I hear (from an Englishman) that there are a 

 fair number of Partridges and rabbits, and occasionally con- 



