THE CHASSE IK ^RUSSIA. 293 



not travel stretched upon the luxurious cushions of first class 

 carriages, but packed, to the number of about thirty persons, 

 in a third-class wagon. We had, in fact, engaged a sort 

 of special convoi to ourselves, which was to bring us back 

 at night at a certain hour, and certainly this war-chariot, or 

 moving block-house, poured out as much smoke through its 

 open windows as the chimney of the locomotive, so many 

 pipes and cigars were in a state of combustion. We were 

 smoke-dried, like so many Westphalian hams, but fortunately 

 no sparks fell upon our powder. 



The beaters awaited our arrival at the rendezvous in 

 numbers about equal to our own, and the two troops united, 

 each formed into a battalion of close companies ; an officer 

 took the command, the proprietor of the chasse who had 

 invited us. With a quick eye he measured the field of 

 battle, fixed the extent, and marked out the limits. 



By his orders two subordinate officers, chosen from each 

 troop, set off to the right and left, converging by a semi- 

 circular direction towards the point indicated for their 

 junction. When these two avant gardes had advanced fifty 

 paces from the group, two others were despatched upon, 

 their traces successively, and at the same distance ; after a 

 shooter a beater, and after a beater a shooter. The two 

 processions thus gently extended their flanks, and, when the 

 circle was formed, a signal was given by the chief to halt. 

 Every one obeys : right face ! left face ! and all the members 

 composing the great circle find themselves opposite to each 

 other, intermixed with the beaters, who are hallooing at the 

 utmost extent of their lungs, and sounding a sort of rattle 

 they carry with them. The whole party march gently 

 forwards towards the interior of the circle, which, when it 

 gets so much concentrated that shooting becomes dangerous, 

 a halt is again called by the commandant, and the beaters 

 alone advance towards the centre, the sportsmen remaining 



