2o4 HORSE-EACING IN FRANCE 



M. de Saint- Albin, proprietor and editor of ' Le Sport.' 

 M. Lefevre, said the writer, was the tenant of Prince 

 Lucien Bonaparte. The chateau, a specimen of modern 

 ' restoration,' was described as ' of no account,' but 

 comfortably arranged and furnished in the interior and 

 ghttering with silver trophies won on English race- 

 courses. The park and paddocks, the writer thought, 

 were the best part of Chamant ; with the splendid stud 

 horses, the precious dams, and more than a hundred 

 thoroughbreds of various ages, all much more carefully 

 tended than many a human being even of the upper 

 classes. Above all there were the friendly ' youngsters,' 

 the yearlings, that came rubbing their noses by way of 

 greeting (in the fashion of New Zealand) against the 

 visitor's garments (instead of nose) ; and there was 

 ' Mus,' abbreviated from ' Muscat,' the retriever dog 

 that positively used to collect tlie yearlings together 

 and start them — not by flag but by bark, and not from 

 the front but from the rear — on a jockeyless, prizeless 

 race, a mere friendly trial of speed. Tlien the visitor 

 saw two-year-olds as well as yearlings, Versigny among 

 them, and he ventured to make some complimentary 

 prophetic remarks, which were only very feebly justified 

 by their performances in 1880-81. Perhaps the greatest 

 triumph ever won by Chamant was not on the race- 

 course but on the show ground at the ' Exposition 

 ITniverselle Chevaline ' in September 1878, wlien Flageo- 

 let and Mortemer were placed first and third (with 

 Salvator to ' split ' them) among thoroughbred sires, 

 and among thoroughbred mares Eegalia, belonging to 

 the Chamant stud, was placed first ; but she, of course, 

 reflected honour upon England, whereas Flageolet and 

 Mortemer were native French. Then it was that tlie 

 ' objet d'art ' was awarded to M. C. J. Lefevre, of tlie 



