256 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



he was, or, at all events, in not risking life and limb in a 

 shooting-party with so many extra-convivial individuals. 



Very few Germans possess any of our own views of sporting 

 in general. They talk a great deal about it, and write, and 

 certainly sing the best songs in the world on this subject, 

 but it is not in the actual sport they take much delight. 

 Fond of all the convivial details, the society they meet, the 

 novelty of the costume, and the escape for the time being 

 from their bureaux, or other indoor occupations, they enjoy 

 themselves as much, and probably more, than other people, 

 but care little for the quantity of game bagged, or the 

 manner of bagging it. At length, having exhausted the 

 bottles and their whole vocabulary of songs and choruses, 

 we got under weigh, and each one slinging his game-bag, 

 worked in Berlin- wool by some fair object of his affections, 

 over one shoulder, and his gun over the other, and girding 

 himself about with all the betasselled objects connected with 

 his shooting apparatus, sallied forth. 



The dogs scampered about with perfect canine freedom, 

 fought, and scratched their fleas, as if the idea of scent had 

 never crossed their imaginations, and the men continued 

 singing and chorusing as if they intended to charm the 

 game with their harmony, but, upon reaching a large extent 

 of rough stubble, prepared their guns for action. Suddenly, 

 in the midst of a well sustained drinking chorus of Yon 

 Motow's, a covey of birds rose at least a hundred and fifty 

 yards in advance of us. To say we fired at them would be 

 a waste of words. The entire line kept up a continual fire 

 from each of their barrels for several minutes. 



It is said that our enemies have described the rolling fire 

 from the front of a British column the most destructive and 

 deadly thing that can be met with. This, however, can 

 hardly be said to have been the case with us. I really can- 

 not say whether our column was not rolling enough, or that 



