46 THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



English fox-chase. The only difficulty 

 in the way was, the proverbial obstinacy 

 of the prey we sought ; for if the boars 

 should be disinclined to take a scamper, 

 we knew full well that our powers of per- 

 suasion, and those of the pack to boot, 

 were unequal to the task of making 

 them go the way we might wish ; but as 

 our right-hand man Collins was anxious 

 for the experiment a la mode de Tours, and 

 having sapiently remarked, '' there's no- 

 thing like trying," Capt. P— — , Mr. 



W , and myself sallied forth one fine 



morning on three borrowed steeds, to 

 pay a visit to our friend at his chateau 

 near Le Bout de Lande, the scene of our 

 former exploits ; and having enlisted our 

 host as a guide, we purposed reconnoi- 

 tring the further extremities of the wood, 

 and to skirt it round in order that our to- 

 pographical knowledge might be turned 

 to good account when occasion required. 



