AN ACCIDENT. ]33 



a small stream running through it, and thickly studded 

 with a variety of low cover. I had scarcely entered it 

 when I flushed a couple of woodcocks, which I brought 

 dowTi, and to my agreeable surprise I saw at least ten 

 couple of them in beating the ground close. On this 

 occasion I shot very badly ; perhaps I had drank rather 

 too much the preceding evening of Mr. Hill's strong and 

 excellent Lafitte claret : however, I did manage to bag 

 four or five brace, and when we went there two or 

 three days afterwards we found the valley nearly de- 

 serted by the woodcocks, and returned home quite dis- 

 appointed. When these birds are much disturbed, they 

 look out for fresh quarters. Another day I went to a 

 hilly country where I was told I should probably get a 

 shot at a wild boar or stag, as there was a large wood in 

 its neighbourhood. I loaded one of my barrels with 

 ball and the other with swan-shot, entertaining a strong 

 hope that I should bring one or the other to the bishop's 

 palace. But, alas I as -wall be subsequently seen, this 

 was building castles in the air. 



I started for the place one fine morning in the begin- 

 ning of December, with the thermometer about sixty 

 degrees. Having walked nearly five miles and reached 

 a ravine, both sides of which were rather steep and 

 rugged, and covered with low brushwood, a small 

 stream running at the bottom, I found a short distance 

 on my right the large wood before mentioned. I 

 was walking very gently along the ridge of this 

 ravine, having no dog with me, and on examining 

 the ground I distinctly saw the fresh marks of a 

 boar. Proceeding cautiously, and looking towards the 

 stream, I discovered a wild boar wallowing in some 

 mud, and apparently sleeping. He was rather too far 



