BLACK SEA COAST. 75 



moustache was quite hard frozen. The forester's 

 cheery greeting, and the hot breakfast that fol- 

 lowed it, were welcome things indeed after my 

 hard night's rest ; and on inspection I found that 

 I had as usual dropped on my legs at the Red 

 Forest. The guest spoken of by the Cossacks 

 was a certain Colonel H., a German, who had come 

 a long way for a few days' sport with my old 

 friend, and great were to be the drives in his 

 honour. 



Our first day was very unproductive, however; 

 for though we got some red deer on foot in front 

 of the sleuth-hounds, we never saw them. The 

 second day was as bad, until the afternoon, when, 

 on our way back, we heard in another quarter of 

 the forest a furious crashing, accompanied by 

 short fierce snortings. Old R.'s little wiry figure 

 actually stiffened with excitement, and his eyes 

 became more prominent even than their wont, as 

 lie gripped my arm till it ached. ' Kaban ! ' (boar) 

 was all he seemed able to get out, and, indeed, I 

 was little less excited myself. Motioning to the 

 German to guard the corner of the quartal where 

 the rides crossed, he stole stealthily along a ride 

 towards the sounds, stopping every now and then 

 to listen, but never letting go my unfortunate arm. 

 The sound was close to us, and now even my 

 untrained ears told me that the sound was much 

 like that of pigs in deadly strife. All at once my 



