CHAPTER XL 



Wolf Hunting in France, iiit/i a Description of the 

 Hounds and Equipage for that Purpose. — A Wolf 

 Chase. 



It is generally admitted that the English are the best 

 sportsmen in the world ; yet it cannot be denied that the 

 foundation of their present superior knowledge of the 

 chase was imported from the Continent. The Saxons 

 taught the Britons to pursue the chase on scientific 

 principles ; the Normans afterwards introduced a much 

 improved system ; which has been gradually advanced 

 in this country till it has reached its present comparative 

 perfection. However, in order to enable the reader to 

 form an opinion of the manner in which the chase is at 

 present pursued by our Continental neighbours, I shall 

 here introduce a few pages from the late Colonel Thorn- 

 ton's Sporting Tour through France. 



" Before we proceed on this subject, it may, perhaps, 

 be necessary to observe, that the hunting of the wolf 

 being entirely confined to the countries of the continent, 

 and particularly to France, many of the technical terms 

 employed in this interesting sport are of such a nature, 

 that it is impossible to render them into the English 

 language. The original expressions have, therefore, in 

 some cases, been retained in the following pages. 



Terms emplo?/ed in Hunting the Wolf. — Wolves arc 

 divided, according to their age, into cub wolves, old 



