510 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



the Austrian army were several staunch sportsmen, 

 and from them I gleaned much valuable mforma- 

 tion as to the game of the country and the situation 

 of the best shooting-grounds ; so I determined, after 

 a cruise down the Danube, and an excursion in 

 Hungary, to have a scramble after the chamois in 

 the Styrian Alps, as by that time the season would 

 have commenced. 



A Frenchman becomes a sportsman by tuition, 

 generally parce que c'esi la mode, but an Austrian is 

 one innately, although each nationality is distin- 

 guished by a certain specialty, and each race has a 

 forte peculiar to itself. Thus the Hungarians are 

 "renowned horsemen," the Tyrolese "famed 

 marksmen," and the Bohemians " celebrated for 

 their knowledge of woodcraft." Such a combi- 

 nation cannot fail to produce good soldiers as well 

 as good sportsmen, and a nation that possesses 

 such elements only requires amalgamation, consoli- 

 dation, and an entente cordiale, to make it the most 

 formidable power of Europe. 



Eacing in Austria has lately made great strides, 

 and under the able administration of the present 



