248 EEMINISCENOES OF THE LEWS. 



sion from any one, and I did not know one field 

 from another ; but I had my gun and poor Die 

 — old Tom's ancestress, then about nine or ten 

 months old — and off I started early the next 

 morning, violating every law, human and divine, 

 for it was Sunday. But this, I fear, I calcu- 

 lated on ; for the Breton peasants were then, as 

 they are now, very devout, and were sure to be 

 at church most of the day, and I was more 

 afraid of them than anything else. I cannot 

 say I did much execution ; for I could hardly 

 hit a haystack flying. The day was intensely 

 hot. It was nearly Die's first essay, and though 

 the corn was cut, the buckwheat was not ; and 

 into that I dared not (except when the coast 

 was quite clear) intrude, for fear of a drubbing 

 from the peasants, which I should have as- 

 suredly got, as I deserved. I got three or four 

 partridges, and about as many quails. But, 

 oh, what stubbles ! I have never seen such, 

 before or since. High and dirty ! would that 

 the world abounded in such, and that I could 

 live and shoot where the worst farming existed ! 

 Towards the afternoon I met a French chas- 

 seur, marauding like myself. At first we were 

 inclined to fly each other ; but we fraternized, 

 and, thanks to him, I got safe back to Rennes 

 without encountering any gardes champetres or 



