WILD SPORT IN BRITTANY. 209 



alluded, in piteous terms, to the massacre inflicted on his pack 

 by the big boar at Koenig, on exactly similar rocky ground. 

 However, as this was to be the last day given to boar-hunting on 

 that side of the country, and consequently would be the last 

 opportunity for compensating the peasants' losses by a liberal 

 supply of bacon, fattened, as they justly averred, on their own 

 corn and chestnuts, St. Prix gave way, and, in deference to the 

 wish of all, proceeded with his whole force, sixteen couple strong, 

 straight for the rocks. In winding their way, not without many 

 rude obstructions, up the tangled and declivitous path pointed 

 out by Tredwyn, whose farm lay contiguous to the upper side 

 of Kilvern, the Louvetier took especial pains to instruct the 

 peasants on an important point affecting the safety of the hounds. 

 He warned them not to head the chase before the boar and 

 hounds were fairly clear of that stronghold, and that they must 

 give the game ample room to break ; or, if headed back, the fate 

 of many a brave hound would inevitably be sealed. All this they 

 promised to attend to ; but St. Prix, not satisfied with this precau- 

 tion, and knowing how little a Breton in the heat of chase was to 

 be depended on, ordered Louis Trefarreg to couple up several of 

 his fiercest hounds Caesar and Paladin being especially named 

 and reserve them as a relais in case of need. 



" You may think St. Prix a little too careful of his hounds in 

 making these arrangements," said Keryfan, as he managed to ride 

 alongside me, over a bit of level ground cleared by the charcoal- 

 burners ; " but, if you knew, Frank, how many a good hound he 

 has lost, and how often his pack has been crippled for the season 

 by encounters with boar, in these very rocks, too, you would not 

 wonder at the precaution he takes on such occasions." 



" A good general is always chary of the lives of his men," I 

 replied ; " and to judge from the carnage that occurred at Koenig 

 and Gwernez, the tactics of the Louvetier appear to indicate a 

 man lacking neither humane feelings nor sound judgment." 



p 



