THE lUVER NIEVRE. 53 



in the Thames, with two hooks to lie at the bottom. 

 What a pretty little valley it is through which this 

 river flows, winding its course, a green meadow on 

 either side, with the dark copse-wood of the forest 

 fringing the upland as if shutting out the noisy 

 world. The approximation to the woodland forms 

 one of the difficulties to otter-hunting : with old fox- 

 hounds unused to the amphibious sport, they think 

 that you are mistaken in holding them along the 

 river banks, and very naturally keep away for the 

 higher and dryer lying. Otter -hunting then proved 

 a blank, as it always does unless you have a whole 

 day before you ; so we returned to the chateau, all 

 the better for our walk, with appetites quite prepared 

 for dinner. 



On the next day, Sunday (and a very rainy 

 Sabbath it was), I again repaired to the kennel 

 deeply anxious at least to do something for my 

 friend's hounds, and to put them in a better condition. 

 Alas ! we huntsmen of England too well know how 

 long it takes to put a hound in sufficiently good trim 

 to run down a wild animal ; and, once let a pack 

 become a prey to ill health and complicated disease, 

 all possible exercise with the best food in the world 

 will not avail them until medical treatment has 

 restored each functional disarrangement, and left a 



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