136 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



thousand by his distinguished appearance and the elegance of 

 his costume. He was, perhaps, the best judge of a horse of any 

 gentleman in France, and has rendered a great service to his 

 country by contributing all his influence towards the amelio- 

 ration of the breed, on which subject he has written a very 

 interesting work. 



I learnt that it was always the custom of the dauphin to 

 precede his royal father by a quarter of an hour. In fact, 

 it was eleven o'clock precisely, when a gendarme at full 

 gallop appeared upon the road to Chatillon. 



The king's carriage follows, drawn by eight horses, with 

 the fat coachman, and postillions in enormous jack-boots and 

 costumes that recal the days of Louis XIY. at the siege of 

 Tournay and the campaigns in Flanders. Then come the 

 carriages containing those invited to join the royal chasse. 



All heads are uncovered. 



The dauphin advances towards his majesty. The Compte 

 de Girardin, the grand huntsman, accompanies the king. 

 He receives information, and gives his orders with a prompti- 

 tude and decision that announce his capability of under- 

 taking any charge where intelligence and vigour of body and 

 mind are the necessary elements of success. 



One of the king's carriages contained a person and a name 

 the most celebrated in the world, and whose motto speaks 

 for itself Virtutis for tuna comes. There are in these three 

 words a history of all the acts of his life in India and in 

 Europe. It was the secon I time, I understood, that he had 

 accompanied the king on a hunting party. The first was at 

 Marly, where the Duke of Wellington, for it was no other, 

 seemed to enjoy .himself very much. 



The king heard the report of the commandant, and 

 decided on attacking a stag called Charlemagne, that had 

 been turned out the same morning at the Carre/our cfe 

 rObelisque. 



