2i6 SPORT IN EUROPE 



to hide him from the orame. As a rule, when after ibex, he did not 

 shoot at chamois, which, being faster than the ibex, always pass first. 



The late King- Humbert inherited from his father a love for 

 sport, his favourite pastime, his solace after the cares of state. Every 

 year he repaired to the Alps for ibex and chamois shooting ; and his 

 amiability and generous gifts ever made him the idol of the moun- 

 taineers. During a fortnight's shootino-, with intervals of rest, he 

 killed on an average his fifty ibex, sparing both the females and the 

 young males. His favourite weapon was always a Holland and 

 Holland 450 Express, but he intended trying next year a 303, a 

 resolve unfortunately never destined to be fulfilled. He was a first- 

 rate shot ; and at the last drive he shot four chamois running in one 

 beat with one bullet to each. 



In the royal castle of Sarre, close to the city of Aosta, are 

 hundreds of the ibex and chamois trophies of Victor Emmanuel, 

 and King Humbert continually added to the collection. 



The chamois preserve is in Val del Gesso, with three camps : 

 St. Anna di Yaldieri, St. Giacomo di Antracque, and Vinadio. The 

 sport is arranged on the same system as described above. On an 

 average. His Majesty shot his fifty chamois in a day. In the preserve 

 of Castelporziano, near Rome, there are boar, stags, roedeer, and 

 fallow deer. As this preserve is very thickly wooded, the King kept 

 a pack of dogs to start the game At St. Rossore, near Pisa, there 

 are boar, fallow deer, and a few red deer, as well as mao-nificent 

 sport with wild fowl. Every week the King had from his keepers 

 a statement about the number of birds. Count Brambilla, master 

 of the royal preserves, w^as so good as to show me a recent report. 



