REMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 247 



And tliiis we cantered on through the second 

 night. I don't tell you that towards the second 

 morning I should not have enjoyed the carriage 

 more than the saddle ; but I had said I would 

 do it, and was determined to stick to it. Be- 

 sides, it is wonderful how one learns to doze on 

 horseback. The good French breakfast — and 

 such coffee ! — set me quite up, and right mer- 

 rily did I ride into Rennes (our first place of 

 inspection) that afternoon. How I enjoyed 

 my warm bath and bed after that long, hot ride, 

 which still I look back to as one of the plea- 

 santest in my life, save and except a canter to 

 the Rock to meet the dear old Kilkenny hounds 

 in the olden time, when that prince of hunts- 

 men and riders, Johnnie Power, hunted them ; 

 and poor Richard Oox, and the two Baileys, 

 and the Stannards, and the Quins, and the 

 Montgomerys, and that hardest of pill-boxes. 

 Dr. O'Reilly, rode to them. 



How I found it out I don't know, but I did 

 that evening — that there was some good shoot- 

 ing in the neighbourhood of Rennes. I knew 

 that everything would be open to the General ; 

 but as he must first look after his cavalry, I 

 was determined not to lose a day. The shooting 

 had not been opened by the prefet of the depart- 

 ment, I had no joorte d^armes, I had no permis- 



