BOARS KILLED AT AilBOISE. 5 



English foxhounds in these combats, their character 

 stands high amongst the canine race. My friend's 

 jj'iqueur, or huntsman, had a very intelligent counte- 

 nance antl an eye like an eagle, and I was told he was 

 as keen and ardent a sportsman as his master. Whilst, 

 hunting he alwa3^s accompanied jNIajor Lutyens, well 

 mounted and armed with a rifle, and when the boar 

 was blown and brought to bay by the hounds, the major 

 and piqueur watched a favourable opportunity to fire at 

 him ; it sometimes required several shots before he was 

 wounded. My friend told me the}' were obliged to be 

 very cautious in approaching a boar of three or four 

 years old, for as he combined great strength with cun- 

 ning, his attack was attended with much danger, and in 

 the midst of his combat with the hounds he would some- 

 times rush forward and attack any person who might 

 come in his way, and there were some instances of men 

 being either killed or wounded. But these fatal acci- 

 dents generally occurred at the battues in the large 

 forests, which battues the French prefer on accoimt of 

 the variety of game to be killed, and where sometimes 

 they are so fortunate as to slay two or three wolves.* 

 My friend told me that although his foxhounds hunted 

 the wolves with great eagerness, still he had never been 

 able to kill one, from the peculiar and untiring pace of 

 theser voracious animals: and his want of success on 



* On August 27tli, 1837, tlie Jlayors of Boudet and Bcnon iu the 

 arrondissement of La Eochelle, summoned a uumbei- of gentlemen to 

 superintend a general battue, which the inhabitants made that day 

 against the ■wolves, -u-hich did great damage to their cattle and flocks. 

 In almost erery department of France infested by •wolves there is a 

 "societe Louveterie," the object of which is their destruction, and 

 premiums, yarying iu amoiuit according to the age and sex of those 

 killed, are also paid. 



