WILD SPORT IN BRITTANY. 253 



leaving that valley to the right, he traversed the rough table-land, 

 for many a mile overgrown with heather and stunted broom, 

 direct for Trefranc. Thus far, but for the lanes and unfenced 

 wastes, it would have been impossible to have lived with the 

 pack. Six horsemen, however, thanks to St. Prix's pilotage, were 

 not only well up, but were able, on descending the hill, to view 

 the brute as he entered Trefranc not a hundred yards ahead of 

 the hounds. Stout as he was, his heart must have quailed, as 

 the Louvetier reined up his steed, irresistibly impelled to blow 

 his horn and sound "La Viie" even in mid-chase. The three 

 chasseurs, who carried their carabines, now separated, and 

 galloping directly for the far side of the cover, hoped to inter- 

 cept him if the wolf attempted to break away from this strong 

 cover. For this fell purpose, happily, they were too late, though 

 just in time to sound " Le Debuche" as the pack broke away, ten 

 couple together, and every hound in his place, straight for Glomel, 

 a cover of M. de Saisy's on a spur of the Black Mountains. 



But he was doomed to fall ere he reached that sheltering 

 retreat. A charcoal-burner, as the chase approached a small 

 outlying coppice, snatched up his gun, and, firing at him in close 

 quarters, shattered one of his hind legs, just above the hock; 

 the hounds were on him in another minute, and after a terrible 

 struggle, in which the peasant took an active part, the strong 

 beast succumbed to numbers, and died fighting fiercely and 

 mutely to the very last. 



