238 THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



I need only mention, in corroboration 

 of this assertion, that a friend of mine, 

 an excellent sportsman, had permission 

 to shoot over a private manor, not far 

 from the moor where I was enjoying my 

 sport in Yorkshire. He told me there 

 was no lack of birds, but they were 

 unusually wild, and although he was 

 accompanied by first-rate dogs, he seldom 

 got within shot of them. 



After two blank days, or nearly so, he 

 crossed the country to the position I had 

 taken up ; he was rather staggered at 

 first, on encountering so many guns, but 

 found out, to his surprise, that the num- 

 bers did good instead of harm, furthered 

 his sport, and materially assisted each 

 other. Only one of the sportsmen, be- 

 sides my friend and myself, was able to 

 bear up against the heat and fatigue. 

 But how was this brought about? — by 

 the severe training we had imposed on 



