FAULTS IN THE FRENCH SYSTEM. 139 



sensible inclination to try the nearest cover, an order 

 was given and all the able hounds coupled up, the 

 huntsman punching one's head with his fist, because, 

 like " Punch " in a show in the street, he kept 

 " popping his head " on either side, or in fact any- 

 where rather than into the middle of the noose. 

 Nothing was then to he depended on but the two or 

 three said-to-be old steady hounds, who were first 

 put to " lead up " to the supposed boar, when they 

 immediately gave tongue, backing each other into 

 the woods, and when in the woods continuing their 

 cry. Of course I supposed this to be all right ; but 

 no ! the gentlemen and the huntsman would not believe 

 these said-to-be infallible creatures ; and more, because 

 these hounds would not obey the call and come 

 away, without sending some one if they were assur- 

 edly wrong, to whip them in, they were absolutely left 

 to follow the bent of their inclination, and still further to 

 confirm themselves in error. Leaving these hounds, 

 and taking no more notice of their cry, we then made 

 a retrograde cast, and of course in vain. 



With many regrets at the failure of the day, and 

 at all further inability to afford me sport (though 

 there lay around us thousands of acres of the most 

 beautiful lying, with a huge solitaire evidently not 

 far off), my kind friends took their departure, leaving 



