of the Old World. 445 



formation of a club for sportsmen of all nations, on a 

 permanent and substantial foundation, was an ex- 

 tremely desirable project, yet I foresaw that there 

 were certain difficulties in the way which nothing but 

 what military men would term a " reconnaissance in 

 force," would ever be able successfully to surmount. 

 I therefore proposed the present trip, and, joined by 

 a few gentlemen who had the same object in view, 

 made every preparation for a start. Unfortunately 

 Monsieur Jules Gerard (who would have been of great 

 assistance) was unable to accompany us, so that we 

 had many disadvantages to labour against on arrival 

 in the country ; and the weather proving unfavour- 

 able during the greater part of our sojourn, " the bag" 

 was small in comparison with what might have been 

 made under more favourable circumstances. 



On Sunday afternoon, the 7th of February, 1858, 

 a number of four-wheelers were seen drawn up in 

 a row in front of a certain house, not a hundred 

 yards away from the statue of the great Napier, 

 round which a gaping crowd were assembled, and 

 from the sotto wee conjectures that were made, it was 

 evident that the public had not decided whether there 

 was to be a wedding or a funeral procession. 



Their suspense, however, was not of long duration, 

 for almost immediately after the arrival of the cabs, 

 sundry watermen and individuals of that genus 

 proceeded to load the exterior of each vehicle with 



