THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 73 



my countrymen and the two French gen- 

 tlemen who accompanied us — the sport 

 was excellent, far better than I could 

 have imagined it would be ; but the truth 

 is, the chasse en plaine a la mode Anglaise 

 is not suited to a Frenchman ; they have 

 never seen it in their youth, have had no 

 example set them, and consequently they 

 know nothing about it. It is not a na- 

 tional amusement or business, as it is 

 with us. The French farmers, too, have 

 no idea of having their land ridden over, 

 and a landed proprietor would as soon 

 ham- string your horse as look at you, if 

 you took a fancy to gallop over his 

 acres. 



We got bcick to the chateau about 

 three o'clock, where we found the gen- 

 tlemen who had received such a ducking 

 — some between blankets, and some in 

 borrowed clothes — and all around a huge 

 log-fire in the hall : their appearance gave 



VOL. II. E 



