THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 99 



For lack of better amusement, I was 

 induced to try some marshes between 

 Quimper and Concarnan, on the coast, 

 where I was informed I should find plenty 

 of snipe. I found the swamp in capital 

 order, and full of birds. Unfortunately I 

 had no dog with me, but I had very good 

 sport : although I lost many birds for 

 want of a retriever, I contrived to bring 

 home eleven couple, which, under the 

 circumstances, was a respectable morn- 

 ing's work. 



The only instance of incivility and in- 

 terruption I ever met in this part of the 

 country occurred to me on this occasion, 

 and it happened as follows : — 



I had just left the swamp and had 

 gained the high road, about nine miles 

 from Quimper, when a garde champ^tre, a 

 kind of rustic garde de chasse^ accosted me 

 in* a most rude and insolent manner, and 

 demanded my porte d'armeSj which he in- 

 F 2 



