170 THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



ties which present themselves to the fol- 

 lower of this fascinating sport ; for nine 

 sportsmen out of ten, who have become 

 tolerable proficients in this branch of 

 their education, will acknowledge that 

 they have felt more real pleasure in bring- 

 ing down a couple of snipe in a marsh, 

 than five brace of birds in the field ; and 

 so it is in the every-day occurrences of 

 life : the greater the diflBculty in obtain- 

 ing any given object, by so much is the 

 satisfaction increased in possessing it. 



Sportsmen of the old school adhered 

 pertinaciously to the plan pursued by 

 their forefathers, of shooting with an old, 

 broken-down pointer ; but, in this en- 

 lightened age, we know better ; and any 



the sound of the word '' escape." A friend of mine, 



a noted shot, invariably exclaims, " I'll be d d 



if you do !" — giving as a reason, that it affords him 

 time to take his aim coolly and collectedly. The 

 plan appears to succeed with him, for a snipe rarely 

 " escapes" from his merciless barrels. 



