172 A MONTH IN THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



CHAP. XII. 



■"* Come, join me, then ; a boar of age 

 Lies in his leafy lair ; 

 Up, gallant hearts ! and I'll engage 

 Each shall all peril share ! " 



Berkeley, 



It was on a Wednesday that we left the chateau early 

 in the morning for a little village in a distant part of 

 the forest, whither Maurice d'Anchald had preceded 

 us over-night, with a couple of hounds to be used by 

 the old keeper and himself as limiers to harbour the 

 veritable vieux sanglier, or old solitary boar, supposed 

 to weigh from three to four hundred pounds. To 

 ease our weak pack as much as possible, M. d'An- 

 chald had wisely determined to take them to the 

 fixture on wheels, having an open sort of spring 

 waggon that would do for the occasion. I will here 

 observe that when a boar is the game in view, wher- 

 ever roads could be found to carry them, a nice 

 covered spring van ought always to be at the service 

 of the hounds, not only to save them as much as pos- 

 sible in long distances, but also for the purpose of car- 



