A Sportsman 233 



was a gentleman of most simple and unostentatious 

 bearing, but whose countenance was one of the most 

 attractive and impressive cast, and bore the imprint 

 of his studious fidelity and painstaking industry, yet 

 was most modest and retiring in disposition. 



I felt quite highly complimented when personally 

 invited to the dinner, in being informed by Sir Walter 

 Gilbey that he had also invited Mr. Orchardson, since 

 he was the creator of the souvenir picture, but that his 

 retiring disposition had induced him to avoid the promi- 

 nence of that occasion until informed by Sir Walter 

 that I was to be present, when he said he would attend 

 if he could sit beside me. That was very pleasant for 

 me to hear. 



After dinner while I was engaged conversing with Mr. 

 Orchardson on sporting matters, we were joined by the 

 Prince of Wales and the Duke of Portland, and the lat- 

 ter interested us in an account of his bear hunting in 

 Russia a few years before. It was the habit often to 

 get after bear in the winter after they were in their 

 hibernating quarters, when the peasants, finding such 

 localities by the open perceptible breathing holes, 

 would mark the spots and dispose of finds for a com- 

 pensation, and his host having secured several, invited 

 him to join in the hunt. Accompanied by a pack of 

 dogs, the latter, on being brought to the localities, 

 would, by digging at the holes and barking, soon fetch 

 out the bears from their slumberous repose, which 

 would be shot or overcome by the dogs. Several were 

 killed, and one nearly cost the Duke his life by being 

 shot at on his appearance by an excitable Frenchman 

 guest, who, being behind the Duke, recklessly fired his 

 gun between the body and arm of the narrator, nar- 



