HOAE-HU^'TIjS'G.] 



THE DOG, AiS-D ITS VAEIETIES; 



[fox-hukting. 



with formidable thickets. There are but very 

 few regular paths, and those only practicable 

 for the surefooted Arab horses. 



At the appointed hour, the native chiefs 

 brought to the " meet" at least three hundred 

 scouts, a certain number of whom were on 

 horseback, and provided with firearms; the 

 remainder on foot, and merely armed with 

 motrags, or thick sticks, xlll these Arabs were 

 placed upon the same line, in the plain oppo- 

 site the mountain, the shooters being dis- 

 tributed along the ridges, and wherever there 

 was a chance of seeing a wild boar pass. This 

 picturesque arrangement greatly assists the 

 imagination in drawing for itself a beautiful 

 scene. On a preconcerted signal being given, 

 the scouts advanced, beating up the thickets 

 of juniper and jujube trees, and uttering loud 

 and almost deafening cries, so as to drive out 

 the animals from their cover in the ravines. 

 A troop of wild boars soon took flight in the 

 direction of the mountain. Some of these 

 were promptly killed by the armed scouts at 

 their different posts — but immediately after- 

 wards the scene changed. The Arab mounted 

 scouts, as well as the Erench troopers, ani- 

 mated by the sight of the monstrous animals, 

 and by the sounds of the firearms, hastened to 

 the pursuit of the boars that had succeeded in 

 forcing the lines of the tireurs ; and then began 

 one of those headlong races, of which it is 

 difficult to say whether we most admire the 

 skill and boldness of the riders, or the energy, 

 grace, and suppleness of their Arab horses, 

 which, going at the top of their speed, clear 

 every obstacle with a surety of foot that is 

 never deceived, even on the steepest and most 

 rugged paths. 



The remainder of the fugitive herd was 

 speedily encompassed by all the huntsmen, 

 both Erench and Arab being carried away and 

 electrified, as it were, by mutual excitement. 

 Gun-shots and pistol-shots were fired off on 

 every side, so that there was a certain amount 

 of danger in being present at such a m^lee ; 

 for whenever an Arab smells powder he be- 

 comes intoxicated, and fires away indiscrimi- 

 nately, to the right or to the left, not at all 

 heeding who may bo near— a characteristic, we 

 may observe, that gives us no very higli idea of 

 their sporting qualifications. 



The band having been thus destroyed with- 

 414 



out accident to the " assistants," the trumpets 

 sounded the recall. The number of victims 

 was fourteen full-grown boars, and six young 

 ones. They were all brought to the place of 

 rendezvous, and put upon mules, to be taken in 

 triumph into the camp. The cliasseurs, with 

 their colonel at the head of the column, formed 

 the escort ; the march was enlivened by re- 

 peated flourishes of trumpets ; and, at the en- 

 trance of the bivouacking-ground, a feu-de-joie 

 was discharged in the air in front ot those who 

 had remained behind, but who had come out to 

 meet '• the return from the hunt." Not the 

 least brilliant part of the scenes composing the 

 general action here, must liave been the great 

 variety of the costumes, and the gaiety of the 

 Arabian horsemen, wheeling about on their 

 splendid steeds, under the rays of an African 

 sun. The wild boars were afterwards arranged 

 in order on the ground, and each sportsman 

 sought to recognise the animal which he sup- 

 posed had fallen from the effect of his weapon. 



In the evening, the bivouac of the 1st regi- 

 ment of clmsseurs was particularly gay. The 

 men, arranged as in small tribes, took their 

 seats around the large kettles that gave forth 

 an appetite-creating odour ; and, as they par- 

 took of the savoury slices of boar-flesh, they 

 related to each other tlie " moving events" of 

 the day. Some openly expressed regret at not 

 having encountered the lion; but it may 

 readily be supposed that the majority inwardly 

 rejoiced at having avoided him. 



Changing the scene, and returning to our 

 own island, we pause for a moment to dwell 

 upon the principal hunting national sport of 

 England — fox-hunting. This sport presents 

 us with very different features from such as 

 we have just related; but it is, nevertheless, 

 equally exciting. There are, perhaps, now 

 more hunting, more " meets," and more nu- 

 merous fields here than there were at any 

 former period. Ladies, too, enliven the sport 

 by their presence ; and here we may observe, 

 that the riding-habit of these "fair creatures" 

 was first introduced in the reign of Charles II. ; 

 but, even in the days of Queen Anne, was 

 viewed with some degree of animadversion. 

 This is proved by the following satirical re- 

 marks of Addison :—" Among the several 

 female extravagancies I have already taken 

 notice of, there is one which still keeps its 



