186 REMINISCENCES OF A SPORTSMAN. 



Whilst writing on this subject it recalls to my mind 

 some of the events of my early life, more particularly 

 the occasion on which I first saw any ortolans. In my 

 first campaign in Holland and Flanders, joining the 

 army as a cornet in the Scots Grreys (the united army 

 being then commanded by his late R. H. the D\ike of 

 York), on our second day's march, after retreating from 

 Antwerp into Holland before the overwhelming French 

 army commanded by the republican general Pichegru? 

 our army took up a position a few miles in the rear of 

 the town and strong fortress of Breda. A day or two 

 after our arrival in this position I was sent in the com- 

 mand of a piquet of cavalry of the Grreys to the out- 

 posts. Having relieved the old piquets and placed 

 my videttes, I took up my quarters at the clergyman's 

 house in the village, who spoke French tolerably well. 

 After breakfast I walked with the pastor in his garden. 

 My curiosity was excited at seeing hanging up against 

 his house at least two dozen of small cages, all occupied by 

 the same species of birds, which I had never before seen. 

 On my asking the pastor their name, and why he kept 

 such a number of the same sort, he told me they were 

 ortolans which he was fattening to send to the Prince of 

 Orange at the Hague, as by the tenure of his living he 

 was obliged to send a certain number annually, when 

 these birds were fat, and were reckoned a great delicacy 

 for the table. On hearing this I gave a broad hint that 

 I should like to taste one ; but Monsieur le Pasteur 

 replied that he could not comply with my wish, as the 

 ortolans were not in good condition, and that he had 

 only the number required to be sent. 



I thought at the time that the Stadtholder had but a 

 poor chance of ever tasting the ortolans, for it was 



