WILD SPORT IN BRITTANY. 199 



to the leading hounds, when injudiciously given, that spoil your 

 sport : they are pleasing to sportsmen, but prejudicial to hounds." 

 And again "If hounds are often used to a halloo, they will 

 expect it, and may trust, perhaps, to their ears and eyes more 

 than to their noses." 



Exactly so ; the power of that one sense given to the nose is 

 weakened at once, if another sense, that of seeing or listening, is 

 called into action at the same time. Therefore halloos, when 

 hounds are running, must generally be a mischievous accompani- 

 ment to the chase, and do far more harm than good in the long 

 run. That word halloo, by-the-bye, has, as I believe, a French 

 origin, and is derived, not as the lexicographers say, from the 

 word " haler," but from the practice of shouting " Au loop an 

 loop," which, phonetically written, would be precisely halloo the 

 very word used to encourage hounds to pursue their game at the 

 present day both in France and England. Shakspeare, speaking 

 of a hound's note, says, 



" A cry more tunable 

 Was never halloo'd to, nor cheered with horn." 



But hark ! it is a lucky thing Harmonie and Veteran have 

 been clinging to the line closer than my pen. Hark ! the two 

 good hounds have unharboured a brace of boar, and St. Prix's 

 horn is ringing out merrily, " Les animaux en compagnie ; " while 

 Shafto and a group of peasants, stationed a far way down the 

 ravine and ahead of the cry, are uncoupling for their lives, and 

 throwing in more hounds to back up the chase. Then the 

 thunder of war bursts out in earnest ; and horns and hounds, 

 halloos and echoes, shake the old forest to its uttermost bounds; 

 and if that tornado in their rear do not strike the flying boar with 

 terror, they must have stout hearts indeed ! Be that as it may, 

 down the valley pours the chase like a cataract ; and contrary to 

 Louis Trefarreg's expectation, not often wrong in his tactics, the 

 boar do not attempt to cross the stream and seek the shelter of 



