EUROPEAN BIG CAME 169 



taken aback at being met at the station by the Governor- 

 General de Ceumern, the Minister of Domains of the province, 

 and a posse of gendarmes. 



On the night of our arrival, the Governor-General and 

 Madame de Ceumern entertained us most hospitably, and on the 

 morrow, together with the Minister of Domains, accompanied 

 us by rail to the station nearest to the aurochs forest. From 

 that station we drove to the house of the forest ranger, M. Cam- 

 pione, and there supped. 



I found that all preparations had most kindly been made for 

 me, and after supper with the Campiones we drove on through 

 the forest, which was lovely in the moonlight, the white rays 

 shining through the leaves here and there, lighting the gnarled 

 trunks of the trees with a touch of silver, anon bursting through 

 a glade and throwing a weird gleam on the mist hanging 

 by the little streamlets, and then at a turn of the road (the 

 moon being brought in front of us) making the most lovely 

 vistas of interwoven branches and leaves, in black on a silver 

 ground. 



We arrived late at the Czar's shooting palace, a small but 

 most comfortable house standing in the centre of the forest, 

 where we were luxuriously put up. 



The next morning I carefully unpacked and overhauled 

 my rifle, a Henry express made especially for me. I have shot 

 with it a good many years, and believe that a small weight 

 of lead properly placed but I will not bore my readers 

 with the old arguments. After breakfast the Ranger, the 

 General, and Madame de Ceumern accompanied us to one of 

 the keepers' houses where we were to wait. It was a small 

 cottage, and I fear the entrance of our party disconcerted the 

 chasseur's wife, who, poor woman, was standing by the swing 

 cradle of her newly-born child. As the woman bowed re- 

 peatedly when we came in, I laid a few rouble notes on the 

 coverlet, asking Madame de Ceumern to explain that they 

 were for a christening present. This she kindly did when, to 

 my horrqr, the mother prostrated herself before me, and en- 



