WILD SPORT IN 3RITTANY. 197 



and in the wide world, it would be difficult to find a more appro- 

 priate spot for such a gathering, the savage grandeur of the scene 

 being in perfect keeping with the throng of picturesque, half-civilized 

 Bretons, who, all clad in jackets of the roughest goat-skin, stood 

 clustering around the huge, fierce-looking, wire-haired wolf-hounds, 

 gazing with admiration now on this hound and now on that, as the 

 well-known leaders of many a bygone chase. But their caresses, 

 when offered, seemed anything but welcome to some of the chiefs, 

 especially to old Caesar, whose surly growl, stiff stern, and inde- 

 pendent attitude, looked very much as if he was inclined to say, 

 "Keep your hands to yourself; I'm a rough customer, and resent 

 liberties." 



The report of the piqueurs was most favourable ; a couple of 

 full-sized boar had been tracked into a patch of scrub-cover close 

 below us ; while, farther down in the valley, several pigs had 

 crossed and recrossed the main stream, and were supposed to 

 be lying somewhere among the boulders that, in vast fragments, 

 were piled one on the other against the opposite hill. A strong- 

 hold was this, overgrown with ivy and clematis, and looked 

 exactly like the ruins of some ancient castle, the towers of which 

 had been overthrown and disjected by a mighty earthquake. The 

 consultation between St. Prix and his " field " was shorter than 

 usual ; it being at once determined to uncouple Harmonic and 

 Veteran, and clap them on the drag of the two boars. These two 

 hounds had been originally entered on boar, and had never been 

 allowed to join the pack on wolf-hunting days j consequently, they 

 were not only staunch to the scent of the former, but had shown a 

 marked distaste for that of the latter ; so, where there was a chance 

 of change from one game to the other, as would be the case in 

 these deep covers abounding with wolves and riot of various 

 description, two such dependable leaders were invaluable to the 

 master, when, as on the present occasion, boar was the object 

 of the day's chase. 



