PASSAGE ACROSS THE CHANNEL. 77 



twenty dogs, shove off for a day's woodcock- 

 shooting on the coast of Albania. 



The freshness of the morning air makes a 

 thick Greek capote necessary and agreeable. 

 After pulling a few strokes, the long line of Alba- 

 nian mountains, capped with more snow than 

 usual, bursts upon our view, and seems to pro- 

 mise us a more brilliant day's sport than the 

 most sanguine can dare to hope for. The previ- 

 ous day has been stormy, with a cold, cutting 

 wind from the north-east, and there is a small 

 quantity of snow on the nearest range. " By 

 Jove, what a splendid day!" bursts from the lips 

 of all at once. " How many couple will you be 

 satisfied with ?" " Well," says the oldest and 

 most experienced, " I really never did see so pro- 

 mising a day; we have only to hold straight." — 

 " Domenico ! what weather shall we have to- 

 day?" asks some one, more for the amusement 

 of hearing his never-varying reply, than from any 

 doubt in the questioner's mind as to the extreme 

 fineness of it. "Eh! speriamo, Signore." And 

 so surely as Domenico says ^'speriamo" so sure is 

 the sportsman of one of the most magnificent 

 days that was ever brightened by a glorious East- 



