A SPORTING TRIP TO FRANCE. 247 



white, my limbs are weak and stiff with age, 

 my sight failing, my hearing indistinct, yet 

 when I recall those times long past, like an old 

 war-horse I lift my aged head, sniff the battle 

 afar off, cry aha ! aha ! stamp my old gouty 

 feet, and the visions of old are before me but 



" Well, well time changes every thing around 

 us, and we poor frail creatures of humanity 

 change with it. Let us be content with what 

 is ; youth will continue to enjoy life as I have 

 done, will bring down their birds with a double- 

 barrelled breech-loader, with patent cartridges, 

 and all the other numerous and expensive para- 

 phernalia of a modern sportsman ; but none, none 

 will ever receive more real pleasure from their 

 shooting than I did with my old flint gun, and my 

 noble and excellent four-footed friend Triton." 



We shot about the forest for the next two 

 months, then sold our van for more than we 

 gave for it, and started for St. Malo with the 

 horses ; shipped them on board one of the 

 South - Western Steam Company's boats, in 

 charge of our servants ; returned to St. Servan ; 

 got the yacht in trim ; and shortly after cast 

 anchor in. the Southampton Waters. 



