232 WOLF-HUNTING. 



To a remonstrance of Shafto's that, being on the spot, he 

 might as well draw Locrist, as it lay directly in the line for 

 Hengoet, the next great cover beyond this valley, St. Prix 

 reluctantly gave way, remarking, with no little acerbity, that it 

 would be too surely time and labour thrown away, and that the 

 disappointment caused by a blank must rest on his shoulders. 

 Then followed the usual animated palaver as to the best mode of 

 drawing the line of covers, and the contingencies likely to result 

 therefrom ; so that, before Louis Trefarreg had received his final 

 orders to uncouple the tufters, a good half-hour had been wasted 

 in preliminary talk. This custom of our continental neighbours 

 is, of all others, the most tiresome, for, no matter how urgent the 

 need of despatch, nor how fierce and inclement the elements may 

 be, the palaver must take place ; and if, at such a time, a party of 

 Indian chiefs (who, when assembled to discuss any important 

 subject, are remarkable for their quiet bearing and dignified 

 demeanour) could only witness the impulsive gesticulation and 

 lively language of our civilised friends, they would conclude 

 them to be little better than a set of lunatics. Wide as the gulf 

 is between the noblesse and the peasantry of Lower Brittany, still 

 the doctrine of equality and free speech is universally established 

 even in this stronghold of the ancien regime, and peasants as- 

 well as peers will have their say at the cover-side. Consequently,, 

 although the object of the palaver is a reasonable one it being 

 intended to secure concerted action in the sylvan war the Babel 

 of talkers suggesting various plans, and each asserting his own 

 plan to be the right one, renders it sometimes no easy task for 

 the commanding officer to decide on the tactics he had best 

 adopt. 



Three couple of the staunchest wolf-tufters (and among them 

 were some rare, deep-drawing hounds) were then uncoupled on 

 each side of the valley, and every acre of gorse, broom, and 

 woodland was steadily drawn, up to the table-land between it 



