THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 55 



timber-jumpers, and proved themselves 

 surprisingly game for half-bred Parisians, 

 We explored about eight or ten miles of 

 open country, and were not a little pleased 

 at the prospect of a good run, in the event 

 of our ejecting a boar from this side of 

 the cover. 



We reached the chateau about six in 

 the evening, where we found the owner 

 in perfect good humour, and laughing at 

 his misadventure. He had indulged him- 

 self with a hot bath, and some soup, to- 

 gether with a gentle taste of old Cognac 

 to keep the cold out, and was just in pro- 

 per feather to join us at dinner. As our 

 horses had had a very tolerable breathing 

 on this our first trial, we determined upon 

 avaiUng ourselves of our host's hospitable 

 offer of remaining for the night. I knew 

 the nags would be taken every care of, 

 and that the stables were good; and I 

 thought they would be better off than if 



