flO , BKITANNY AND THE CHASE. 



mauvais — sacr-r-r- nom de," &c. I then discovered that 

 it is the custom when the dog points, instead of going 

 straight to liim, to circle round him, gradually drawing to 

 .the centre, until you reach the game or nothing. Hence 

 the eccentric motions of my choleric companion. I think 

 the plan bad, as it unsettles the game, disturbs the dog, 

 loses time, and runs the risk of putting up other game, and 

 so losing that pointed at. I loaded, pitched up my bird, 

 and prepared to follow the direction the covey had taken ; 

 but " Restez, mon ami ; il faut dejeuner d'abord ; the 

 jbirds will scatter while we are eating." "True; but why 

 eat at all now ? " " Because I am hungry, and want my 

 breakfast." And I learnt that it is usual still further to 

 lose time by breakfasting on the field : and so half the day 

 is lost in everlasting snacks, smoking, and resting. Further 

 on in the day, when we were eating again, all of a sud- 

 den a hare jumped out of the hedge, not twenty yards from 

 the place where we were sitting. Oh, what a row ! Sacr- 

 r-r-ing like a rusty wheel. My friend fled up, seized his 

 gun, and slapped both barrels at a pull. Puss shook her 

 scut, and bounced back again into the hedge ; and head« 

 long after her dashed dogs beating, and the chasseur. The 

 hedge was enormously thick, and full of the most prickly 

 briars that ever grew. My friend, full of ardour, launched 

 himself from the bank right into the middle of all, and there 

 he stuck like a flie in a glue-pot, but withal most grie- 

 vously tormented, and not able to stir an inch. " All sit- 

 ting on a thorn," like Philomel, he sung for help ; but, had 

 my life depended on it, I could not have helped him, and 

 laughed till I was obliged to sit down. At last he , came 



