»v.; 



HADJ ANO 

 tually I had to go back and fetch 

 him along. 



At last we arrived near the snipe 

 ground, and, when we had off- 

 saddled and tied up our horses, we 

 started to walk the bog in line. We 

 had hardly taken our places before 

 the birds began jumping up in front 

 of us, and the promise of sport 

 raised our spirits to the highest ; 

 still, the birds were wild, and at first 

 my shots were few and far between. 

 Not so those of the Frenchmen, who 

 fired on sight at every bird, distance 

 being no object. But suddenly our 

 sport was interrupted : a fiendish 

 noise of neighing, screams, and 

 snorting rose from the group of 

 bushes where we had left our horses. 

 The captain, who was nearest to that 

 176 



