whom is said to have dropped £1,000 on him for the Metropolitan. The field was only moderate, and Lord Derby's two-year-old luck did not desert him in the two-year-old stake. Acrobat seems a very stoutlimbed colt, not unlike Boiardo, with, if we remember rightly, a pretty head and fine shoulder. Mishap is low and lengthy, but light; and like Sir Charles Monck, Mr. Stanley had not one turn over this, his once lucky ground. Judging by Catherine Parr's running with him at Lincoln, Captain Cornish had the Cleveland Handicap quite safe; but the soaking afternoon there gave him a cold, which he did not get over in time to get "wound-up.' The Rous division were terribly disappointed, as they had measured the race out to a yard, and thought that nothing could stop their Pharold. The Eglinton Stakes was, strange to say, considered a certainty for The Reiver, in spite of the St. Leger close of the day before. Many, however, looked with deep misgivings at Orestes, who was one mass of beautifully developed muscle. Corin is a mere flash nag, to our eye; and Lambton is not the least improved since last year. It would be idle to say that The Reiver was beaten on his merits. Horses often run a severe race successfully twice in one day, but are very seldom able to run a severe race on two successive days. The delight of the fielders over this and Catharine Parr's race was expressed in terms more forcible than elegant; but one thought of the contrast between this finish and the one of last year, from which the Malton Stable drew through Longbow-the "9lbs. to Pelion" line, which satisfied them they had the best three-year-old of the season. I was the first among public writers to promulgate the above fact, at a time (April 1st) when there was no very rooted belief in West Australian; and time has proved that it was the real key of the position. From what I hear, Neville is not a little fancied for the Derby, by some of the Northerns.

Cineas just got the distance he liked in the Don Stakes, and down went Orestes- not from being stale, but simply because he had not a turn of speed to live with him. Vindex was as weak as water, and not one atom improved since we saw him last year. He is said, in fact, to have been very dangerously ill since Goodwood, and to have required severe bleeding. Lord Chesterfield's filly was a lengthy, low animal, and quite the pick of the basket in the Park Hill Stakes; but the great stride of Mayflower just floored her. Charity was enormously grown since last year, and not a little lusty; but the day was so close, that all the animals were dreadfully distressed. This mare does not seem likely to do much this year. Comfit ran better than I expected, and seemed in as good form as anything. For the Doncaster Stakes there was still enough of the old St. Leger feeling left to make Sittingbourne a favourite, in spite of the purging rumours; but it was quite evident that he did not run in anything like form, although he struggled very hard, and had The Dandy (a useful long-eared animal) to help him. Filbert's running was an afterthought, and not a very fortunate one; and Honeywood did not show at all. John Osborne can never have really had a great opinion of this horse, or he would not have given him his Derby work, as he often did, before it was light, so as to keep him out of the public ken. In the Nursery Stakes, Sister of Mercy

at last did ample justice to those "racing-made quarters" of hers, which I "pencilled" in my notes, as she returned in disgrace to the York scales, and West Australian pointed his toe, and seemed very tender after Butler had walked him over. The Cup was a sad failure; and if rumour be correct, everything was arranged with the two dangerous ones for Hungerford, who at one time was threatened with the opposition of Goorkah and Rataplan. Not a little money was made out of the former; and then when the game was played out scratch went the pen. It would never have suited the former to win, as he would thereby have got 6lbs. extra for the Cesarewitch. Indian Warrior (7st. 7lb.), albeit H. Stebbing left his opinion on record that he could not stay, is my fancy for the Cesarewitch; but unfortunately I am always certain to be wrong in my handicap guesses. Still I like his last year's running for it at 7st. 5lb. The General (5st. 7lb.) and Teddington (9st. 7lb.) look as likely as anything for the Cambridgeshire. In the Cup, Ilex did all he knew most manfully; but Earl Glasgow's two were no manner of use, although Barbatus, with that strong horseman, Aldcroft, up, nearly pulled his head off for the first half of the way. Kingston, for whom Hungerford made such tremendous running last year, did not show at all, as he is in preparation for the 200 p.p. race on the Cesarewitch day. The meeting and the maidenhood of the powerful Sally Warfoot colt ended together with the Town Plate, in which the winner's party landed an £800 pot. And thus the hopes and fears of the Doncaster Meeting of 1853 were for ever set at rest, and the never-resting mind of the Ring set itself vigorously to work out the Cæsarewitch and Cambridgeshire problems.

ROUGH SKETCHES

ON THE COMPARATIVE STATE OF

"LA CHASSE" IN ENGLAND AND FRANCE

AT THE PRESENT TIME.

BY ACTEON.

(Continued.)

It appears as if throughout the whole of France there were a determination on the part of the hordes of chasseurs, which infest that illfated country, to try by every means within their power to annihilate, during the fence months, the small stock of game and other wild animals which may have survived the war of extermination which has been waged against them during the regular season; and it is the opinion of many experienced sportsmen that, in ten years from the present time, there will be hardly a hare, boar, or deer left for the amuse

ment of the more legitimate pursuers of la chasse throughout the whole of the Gallic dominions. *

After the regular season closes, which is generally the case about the 20th of February, it is the custom in most of the wild boar districts to get up that most murderous and unsportsman-like of all systems of hunting the battue. This, however, cannot be effected without in the first place obtaining permission from the sous-préfet of the arrmdissement, who, upon a representation being made to him by the occupiers of the farms adjoining any forest land, that the wild boars are becoming too numerous, immediately gives information to the louvetier of the neighbourhood, that he may organize a general battue, and take upon his own responsibility the getting up of the day's chasse. The whole district is immediately roused to arms, and every chasseur, of every degree, is at liberty to bring his fusil, and assist at this absurd and wanton destruction of those animals, which, instead of becoming too numerous, are every season so fast diminishing, that in a few years their existence will be but mere matter of history to the rising generation.

As may be well imagined, amongst so heterogeneous a flock of gents of every grade and snobs of low degree, there must necessarily be a proportionate mixture of black sheep, who, without the fear of procès verbaux before their eyes, or the slightest regard for either the gamelaws or the laws of honour, would, upon every opportunity, slaughter indiscriminately every animal which chance might bring within the bearing of their gun; it was resolved, therefore, upon the occasion of the present year, to try and make the partie-de-chasse rather more select, and to be only composed of such men as would reasonably be supposed to scorn the idea of shooting, and hiding in the cover, hares and roedeer big with young, and even boars, which were to be carried away in the dark, after the mob had been disbanded, and had retired to their homes.

Consequently about the beginning of April, Monsieur B, the louvetier of the neighbourhood round Châtillon, having received instructions from the sous-prèfet, set about organizing a battue for wild boars, which was to extend to two days, and was to be carried on in the forest of Ricey-a large woodland district lying to the north of the town, in which it was declared that the boars were increasing to such an extent that the farmers were in dread of their pommes-de-terre being all devoured, and the old women of losing their lives by the tusks of these ferocious monsters, when wandering in the forest to purloin the windfalls of the dead wood. Upon this occasion, as I before informed my readers, no one was to be allowed to assist without an invitation from the louvetier, which was, of course, confined to those who might be

* One amongst a thousand instances may be mentioned of the most wanton and cold-blooded slaughter of roedeer by the peasants in the neighbourhood of Rimeremont, a small town in the department of the Vosges, during the month of Decem. ber, 1851, where, after a sudden and deep fall of snow, the poor animals had sought shelter in a deep gorge between the mountains, in which place they were easily surrounded, and being unable to get out of the way of their remorseless pursuers, on account of the steep rocks and the depth of the snow, were shot down and knocked on the head with sticks, to the number of eighteen in about two hours.

considered respectable and honourable men, and such as would be above playing the dirty tricks which I before described.

Amongst the rest of the acknowledged chasseurs of the neighbourhood, I received an invitation from my friend the louvetier, which ran as follows:

“Monsieur,—Une battue aux sangliers aura lieu les 5 et 6 Avril. Vous êtes invité a y assister.

Le rendezvous est à la Ballotière à 7 heurs et demi du matin.

At the appointed hour, then, I, amongst the rest, rendered myself at the above-named place of rendezvous. As we had a matter of twelve miles to get over, most of which was across some very bad country roads, it was resolved to start at half-past five-plenty of time, certainly, and a bit to spare too, to do twelve miles in, when going to cover in England with an English trotter, and with an English trap behind him; but I beg to assure those of my readers who may have never undergone the patience-trying infliction of going to the rendezvous, jammed up in a rickety old French cariole, with a rickety old horse to match, that we had not one atom too much time to do the ground in; for what with the ruts, and the stones, and the hills, and the bogs, and the badness of the horse, and the swagging weight of the old cariole, it was nearly eight o'clock before we eventually reached the little farmhouse of Ballotière, which is most picturesquely situated in the midst of the forest of Ricey.

As I never stir from home, if I can possibly avoid it, without having taken the necessary precaution of fortifying the inward man with something in the shape of a substantial breakfast, let the hour be what it may, I had plenty of time to walk about the basse cour of this little homestead, and indulge my curiosity in observing all the extraordinary objects which met my inquiring eye in every direction. Several of the chasseurs had already arrived, and were lounging about in groups, smoking, chattering, advising, and prophesying as to the results of the intended chasse. Several were taking the opportunity of getting their breakfasts, which they appeared to do with much goût, notwithstanding the confusion and scrambling which must necessarily attend the cramming of nearly one hundred men into two small rooms capable of containing comfortably about twenty; but the soupe à l'ognon, and omelettes aux fins herbes, added to the huge rough pâtés, which some of the chasseurs had providentially brought with them, seemed perfectly to make up for all the inconvenience suffered by this most sanguine party of sportsmen.

The plot began to thicken, and the scene around to glisten with the arms and accoutrements of this sylvan warfare. First came Monsieur R, the neighbouring louvetier, armed cap-à-pie, mounted à cheval, attended by his piqueur on foot, who had been sent on a few hours beforehand with two couples of hounds, with orders to walk up to the rendezvous in attendance on his master in all due form. Then trotted up the neat English dog-cart of Count de Ndriven by the owner,

who was attended by his two regular piqueurs; for, be it known that this really vrai chasseur hunts the stag du forcé in the most legitimate manner in the neighbouring forest of Charmes ; but he has not brought

his hounds with him-no, not even a couple: and why not? because he is too good a judge to allow any of his pack, which he has been at great trouble to breed and make steady, to acquire bad habits by too great an intimacy with the canine rabble of to-day's chasse.

The motly throng which followed, it would be really diffcult to describe; every sporting costume conceivable in the most extensive latitude of Gallic taste was on that event exhibited: some had hounds and no horn; others had large French horns, and no hounds to call with them.

At length, after another hour being spent in arranging the preliminaries, the whole party, to the number of about one hundred and twenty, moved off to the scene of their intended exploits. As soon as the army of chasseurs had been ranged along the rides bounding that quarter of the forest which it was intended to beat, the piqueurs entered with this heterogeneous pack to rouse up the enormous company of boars which were reported to exist there; and, of course, in a few minutes every hound was in full cry, running breast high with a ravishing scent, the few roedeer, hares, and foxes, which had still survived the last season's campaign, affording them an opportunity of exhibiting their musical powers, uncontrolled as they were to the fullest extent. This splendid amusement having lasted for upwards of half an hour, two shots were heard on the opposite side of the forest to where I was standing, followed by a shouting, which if duly and artistically performed would have been pronounced in England as the "Death halloa." An immediate rush ensued from all quarters, and in a few minutes the excited multitude might be seen crowding and jostling each other round the stiffening corpus of an emaciated boar, which, having been dreadfully wounded in some former engagement, evinced on his hocks two putrefying excrescences, which had pretty much the same appearance as two enormous bone spavins, which some bungling country practitioner had been attempting to reduce by means of cauterization and setons. The lucky sportsman was, however, much and heartily congratulated, and the event was pronounced une belle chasse; and in the course of half an hour another quarter of the forest was surrounded, which, after some twenty minutes' uproar with the canine part of the equipage, produced as a result the death of an unfortunate laie, and four of her poor little helpless marcassins, which ran the gauntlet on the down-wind side of the wood, grunting and squeaking like suckers in a pig market, when they were at length put hors de combat after they had received a running fire of at least thirty shots.

Thus finished the great day's sport, and the annihilation of a company of wild animals; for the remainder of the litter, having escaped, were left to starve; when, if they had been allowed to roam their native forest for a few more months, they might have afforded sport to the legitimate chasseurs of the district during half the ensuing winter.

One day's such sport was quite sufficient to satisfy the narrator of these most abominable and atrocious game-murders; and not having enough courage to undergo the infliction of a second exhibition of the like nature, he contented himself with staying at home, and hearing from one of the chasseurs, upon his return, who had assisted at the second chasse, that after the same party had toiled for about seven or eight hours in a broiling sun, the result was only one unfortunate