THE HUNTSMAN 51 



followed at Dover would be scouted and laughed at 

 at Calais or Boulogne. We are alluding, of course, 

 to hounds, for which the French have not the 

 slightest feeling, inclination, or sympathy. Children 

 in England all rush with delight to see them pass — 

 French ones stare and wonder if the " soldiers " are 

 going to kill and eat them up with the dogs. Hunt- 

 ing is quite the peculiar taste of Britons, and let 

 people say what they will, it must exercise a most 

 beneficial influence on the national character. Let 

 any one look at a field of foxhunters in full chase, 

 and say whether such men are likely to be stopped 

 at a trifle or not. Above all, let them look at the 

 Huntsmen and Whip, and fancy them with swords in 

 their hands instead of whips. Why, they would 

 charge a regiment of devils in complete armour ! 

 The Duke of Wellington, himself a foxhunter, and a 

 real friend to the sport, used to say that for daring, 

 dashing deeds, there were none like the foxhunting 

 officers. We believe he generally selected them to 

 carry despatches and other difficult duties on the 

 battle-field. 



A Frenchman looks at the " C/i'Xsse," a term they 

 apply equally to sparrow-shooting and stag-hunting, 

 as a mere means of achieving an end with the smallest 

 possible trouble. They can't understand the wit of 

 giving ourselves the trouble of pursuing an animal 

 over hill and dale, that we can exterminate at first 

 sight. They are all for lead. Colonel Cook, who 

 resided many years in France, relates how that having 

 some ten couple of hounds consigned to him, he took 

 them into the Duke de Albufera (Suchet's) covers at 

 Tankerville, and after a long draw found a fox in a 

 piece of gorse in an open country, which being im- 

 mediately headed into the mouth of the hounds, a 

 French gentleman rode up, and taking off his hat, 

 exclaimed, " Sir, I congratulate you on catching him 

 so soon, and with so little trouble ! " Frenchmen 



