THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 61 



and who were armed with spears and 

 couteaux de chasse enough to have exter- 

 minated all the boars in Lower Brittany ; 

 added to which, others of their calling 

 had been stationed at a wood, some five 

 miles from the forest, out of which we 

 hoped to drive the boar in the direction 

 we expected he would take. 



Two of our mounted friends had 

 strapped on their holsters, and were 

 armed with huge brass pistols, an in- 

 cumbrance by no means desirable ; at 

 my earnest request, these were left at the 

 chateau where we broke our fast. 



Some of the party were for prolonging 

 their stay there, but it was my object to 

 reach the field of action with the least 

 possible delay We salHed forth in very 

 good order, and, upon the whole, the 

 turn out was an excellent one ; some of 

 the French cavaliers were well mounted, 

 and, altogether, the exhibition was very 

 superior to what I had anticipated. 



