WILD SPORT IN BRITTANY. 159 



drag for the occasion, M. de St. Prix, Keryfan, Shafto, and myself 

 determined to accompany him ; while the rest of the party, 

 consisting chiefly of the chasseurs from Upper Brittany, preferred 

 a day at the woodcocks, large flights of which had been driven in to 

 Conveau and the neighbouring covers by the recent storms. At 

 daybreak on Thursday, accordingly, as heavy clouds from the 

 north-west came scudding up over the little town of Gourin, 

 scavenging the streets ever and anon with a fitful deluge, and 

 saluting the window-panes with volleys of hail, hard and big as 

 rifle-bullets, Kergoorlas's drag rattled over the stones, and came 

 to a standstill at the door of the Cheval Blanc. The team, which 

 matched neither in colour nor size, nevertheless had the appear- 

 ance of a rough, useful lot, well suited to the country and work 

 for which they were required ; but one of the leaders, both being 

 stallions, had a strong iron muzzle fitted over his nose, and 

 seemed, from the caution shown in handling him, to be a down- 

 right vicious brute. Fight, and hold on like a bull-dog, he would, 

 if man or horse provoked his wrath ; and, although his groom 

 professed to keep him on half-rations of hay and no corn, the 

 spirit of this war-horse could not be subdued. He went by the 

 significant name of " Vampire," having drawn blood so often, and 

 would have been as fit a subject as " Cruiser" for Airey's taming 

 power. Notwithstanding his hard treatment in the way of food, 

 however, he was a rare beast in harness, and, according to 

 Kergoorlas, could and did do the work of two ordinary horses, or 

 long since he would have fed the hounds. A set of rope-traces 

 did not add to the beauty of the team ; but, if not 



" Brilliant in Brummagem leather," 



a coil of additional rope tossed into the fore-boot insured a ready 

 restoration to the gear, in case of disaster on the day's journey 

 And constant need there appeared to be for this precaution, 

 inasmuch as the off-side wheeler, now the coach was loaded, 

 obstinately refused to start and go up to his collar ; and every 



