150 A MONTH IN THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



double noses, I strongly suspect that the latter organ is 

 very keen; and with judicious crossing and attention to 

 shape and make, I should not have the least objection 

 to the introduction of the blood, by way of experi- 

 ment, in our English kennels. I know this descrip- 

 tion of French hound is sagacious and industrious, 

 and I suspect that a fine nose is added to the other 

 good qualities, though all is rendered abortive through 

 mismanagement. The worst of it is, that, in so 

 limited a visit as mine was to France, it was almost 

 impossible to clear the face of the chase sufficiently of 

 the multifarious and accumulated errors to have a 

 distinct view of any virtues that might be latent in the 

 French system ; and as the method of man had taught 

 every hound to babble or tell lies, it was almost im- 

 possible to discover wdiich hound was inclined to be 

 truthful and which was false, for all went off in full 

 cry if their huntsman seemed to look down on the 

 ground and wish to find a slot, a pad, or the line of 

 some animal of chase. 



M. Rambour's men were better appointed than the 

 other servants I had seen; and there was, on foot, 

 attending on his hounds, but in what capacity I know 

 not, as fine a young man as ever I saw in any country. 

 I must not forget that it was on this morning that I 

 went up to the bunch of hounds belonging to M. E. 



