32 BRITANNY AND THE CHASE. 



mucli work for one man ; but he replied, " Mais non." 

 Even as sailors they profess to be our equals. Last war 

 say they, was badly managed, full of what they call mis- 

 takes — French ships running into English harbours, and 

 so on ; but allons — let us try another, and nous verrons. 

 It is certain that the Erench fleet is now in fine order, and 

 superior to any they have ever had afloat, and the very 

 possession of such splendid vessels of itself inspires con- 

 fidence. Let us therefore beware, and keep our fleet well 

 up to the mark. A short time since I went over the 

 Eriedland, of 120 guns and 1200 men, as fine a ship as 

 ever swam; and in the same squadron there were three 

 others like her. Of course it is the crew who must do the 

 work, and on them will mainly depend the result ; but 

 there also a great improvement has been made. The Erench 

 merchant marine has greatly extended during the long 

 peace, and there is an extra number of boys on board all 

 the men-of-war, learning their business. A gun-brig of 

 fourteen guns, whose captain was an acquaintance, and 

 invited me to visit him on board, was half-manned by boys, 

 and he apologised for it to me ; for the signal being given 

 by the admiral to furl the sails, my friend was the last in 

 the fleet to accomplish it, being, in fact, short-handed in 

 able seamen. This brig, by-the-bye, had fourteen horizontal 

 howitzers instead of ordinary guns, and so could throw 

 shells point blank if required ; — a very dangerous variety. 

 But I am straying from my point, and must hark back 

 to the field. Wolves and wild boars yet exist in consider- 

 able numbers In Erance. In Britanny there are frequent 

 hunts, and the provincial papers often contain accounts of 



