250 IHE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



US but little time during the winter to 

 devote to out-of-door amusements ; for 

 the days were so short, and their hour of 

 dining so early, that we could seldom 

 spare more than two or three hours to 

 the marshes in the morning. The snipe, 

 however, were in great abundance, and 

 so were the woodcocks. 



As the spring advanced, we committed 

 greater havoc amongst the long-bills ; in 

 fact, the marshes were never deserted at 

 any period of the year. 



We never saw anything of the officious 

 garde champ^tre whom 1 had treated to a 

 trot of three leagues and a half to the 

 gates of Quimper, although we heard of 

 him from the gardes de chasse, who by 

 desire of their masters waited upon us to 

 shew us the best shooting on their seve- 

 ral terres. They appeared to enjoy the 

 trick I had played him, and gave us to 

 understand that he was heartily ashamed 



