THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. Ill 



think I can take upon me to say that he 

 was a veritable chien Francais. He was 

 half a poodle, with a dash of the spaniel, 

 and perhaps a little blood of a pointer. 

 He was a good retriever, however, and 

 consequently useful in the marshes ; but 

 as for finding a bird, he had no more 

 nose than a greyhound. If I approved of 

 him, I was to have paid twenty-five 

 francs, w^hich sum I thought I could ven- 

 ture to lay out upon this promising pup. 

 I closed with the offer, and the bargain 

 was sealed by a dram from my pocket- 

 pistol. 



This sacre chienne Anglaise my brother 

 sportsmen had christened " Mouche." I 

 had some difficulty in coaxing her away 

 from her master, but a sandwich and 

 kind usage caused her to transfer her 

 affections to me ; and by the time I had 

 killed a couple of snipe to her, we were 

 sworn friends. 



