THE MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW. 305 



another, which we did on the edge of a vineyard. 

 Only those who have shot in a wine country under- 

 stand what a nuisance vines are to sportsmen. 

 Indeed, during September it is illegal even to run a 

 dog through them, whilst all game, and especially 

 partridges, enjoy their cool shade during the day. 

 The covey, as I have said, got up wild at the edge of 

 the vineyard, and dropped further back in the vines. 

 We ran the dog through, with the only result that they 

 got up and again settled among the grapes. The next 

 trial was more lucky. Three came out to the left, 

 where I was posted, the nearest giving a long shot, and 

 I dropped him. This time the red dog retrieved all 

 right, though mouthing the bird rather badly. The 

 bulk of the covey had pitched in an adjoining potato- 

 field, and thither we proceeded. First a single bird 

 got up, and I dropped him in the act of popping over 

 the hedge, a high nut one. Then the covey rose and 

 1 got two more. H , who was behind a pear- 

 tree, could not get a shot. I should have got another 

 with my own gun, but that was in England, and I was 

 using an old-fashioned hammer i6-bore. The result 

 was before I could finish reloading a late bird got up 

 and joined his friends, keeping me between himself 



and H . The red dog was rushing about wildly 



and barking again. After he had been corrected once 

 more and taken up, we followed up the remainder of 

 the covey, which had settled in one end of a standing 

 oat-crop, the other end of which some men were 

 mowing. From these we asked permission to walk 

 through the corn, which was granted civilly enough. 



