A TRENCH BREAKFAST. 67 



Cold and hot meats, hot potatoes, bottles of wine, 

 eggs, and bread, but neither toast, breakfast-cakes, 

 tea, nor coffee, at first greet him ; after cheese they 

 are brought in. On seeing this plentiful as well as 

 substantial feast, I was obliged to ask my kind friend 

 to let the end of it, as far as I was concerned, come 

 first, for I could not drink wine at breakfast ; and 

 this was immediately complied with. 



Breakfast being over, " Now then," said my hearty 

 host, advancing to a sideboard, "where is your 

 pocket ? " 



On making this inquiry, I beheld him take, from 

 among others put ready for my companions, a most 

 efficient pocket hunting- flask filled with cherry brandy. 

 Alas, I had no spare pocket capable of receiving it ; 

 so, with a sigh, I suggested that perhaps he could find 

 a crevice for it in a sort of holster I had seen at his 

 saddle. 



" Never fear," was the jolly rejoinder ; " you shall 

 have some ; when you want it, come to me." 



In these enormous forests it is quite necessary for 

 a man to bear about with him a trifle to eat and 

 drink, particularly if he is a stranger, for the chase 

 may lead him he knows not wdiither ; and if darkness 

 or a fog should surround him, unless his sagacious 

 horse knows the wilderness and can take him home, 



F 2 



