CHAPTER XII. 



Boar Hunting. — Manner of Training or Entering 

 Young Hounds in France. 



On the chase of the wild boar, the same writer which 

 I quoted in the last chapter, makes the following obser- 

 vations : — 



"The equipage destined for the chase of the wild 

 boar is denominated vautrait. In great hunting estab- 

 lishments it forms a separate department, in which par- 

 ticular officers and attendants are employed. Large 

 equipages for this sport are usually attended by a pack 

 of fifteen or twenty couple of hounds. The huntsmen 

 and whippers-in ought to be extremely expert. This 

 chase is very fatiguing : the huntsmen are obliged to 

 shout incessantly, to make the dogs follow, as they are 

 frequently discouraged, especially if they are pursuing an 

 old boar. It requires mettlesome and vigorous horses ; 

 and the riders must not be afraid of the branches in the 

 thick recesses of the forest, into which they are obliged 

 to penetrate. 



It is extremely difficult to procure hounds well trained 

 for hunting the boar, and this instruction requires great 

 patience and attention ; not that a young hound will not 

 at first pursue the animal, but his scent sometimes dis- 

 gusts, and the country, covered with thickets and moras- 

 ses, discourages him. A boar is not so easily hunted 

 down as a stag; and, let the establishment be ever so 



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