quarry of the European sportsman of condition. It is true the wolf and the bear exist to try his mettle; but these are left to be shot down by boors and plebeian game-keepers-the noble and gentle pursue the grim grunter alone-peradventure, because he is good to eat as well as to kill. The earliest records of the nursery have handed down to us the wild boar of the German forests as a fearful monster-a chimera dire-such as might run in a curricle with the fiery dragon, which the champion of England is seen so doughtily dealing with in the order of St. George. The accounts of the field-sports practised in India have made us familiar with Oriental "pig-sticking," as griffins have irreverently denominated the chase of the wild boar in the Honourable Company's territories. We know it to be a passage in woodcraft, accomplished by gentlemen in jockey caps and jackets, mounted on slim and wiry-limbed Arabs. These, with spears, beleaguer the porker of the prairie, and having galloped the gas out of his lungs, let the life out of his corpus through holes drilled in his tough hide with orthodox steel. But the overthrow of the opprobrium of Israel nearer home has been chiefly left a mystery, vaguely hinted at by travellers who have penetrated the Hartz, or haply the Black Forest. They stake their heads, and allude to them as darkly as to the specimens of geological skeletons found in the caves of Baumons and Bielshole-fossil relics of other worlds. It was, therefore, with no ordinary feelings of excited curiosity and exaggerated anticipations, that I set out to visit the colony of savage swine, planted and protected by the reigning Duke of Saxe Coburg, in the vicinity of his chateau of Rosenau. About four miles from Coburg, and a little to the westward of Rosenau, rise several abrupt hills, clothed to the summits with pinewoods-altogether occupying a space of a thousand acres. These are the boar preserves of his Serene Highness, and having been honoured by a visit from her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, they had earned for themselves a prestige beyond the common. We were directed to be in attendance on the chamberlain of the hogs at five o'clock precisely; and exactly at that hour, as we made across certain fields of flax lying between the woods and the high road, that functionary appeared, emerging from his pig penetralia. He went about the ceremonial in which he was engaged quite according to the craft or etiquette of his order. We were requested to approach the presence with gravity and decorous legerity of foot. Onward we went, treading lightly, till we arrived at a sort of parkpaling enclosure, some six feet high, and closely boarded. Entering there by a gate which closed behind us, we were shown by an ancient forester, with a mortal blunderbuss on his shoulder and a rapier by his side, into a thing like a cockney summer-house upon stilts. Within this we were shut up, among much musty hay, a party of ten in a room suited to two. On each of the four sides of the square box are peep-holes, through which we anxiously watched the process of strewing around provision of corn and potatoes, that savoured very much of the board frugal housewives at home spread for their domestic circle of bacon. Long and fearfully we waited for the guests. Sometimes the master of the ceremonies hinted perhaps they might not come at all; and when some of the musty hay-dust elicited a sneeze from one of the party, he said he almost despaired of an arrival. But we were not destined to be so disappointed. At the end of an hour, spent about as agreeably as the time was consumed in the black hole of Calcutta, a vidette at the peep-holes cautiously gave the words "here they come." And sure enough there they did come, as orderly and well behaved as if they had been borne in, in rashers, and ornamented with poached eggs. First marched a matron of the sty, accompanied by a very numerous family-quaint little roasters-like nothing in zoology so much as hedgehogs upon a large scale. Anon, through all the loop-holes opened for their admission, trooped boars, singly and in parties, but save an occasional poke in the spare-ribs, given by the snake-like snout of some bully to a more gently disposed sow-(the ladies were the most quarrelsome) -all went off very tamely. Thus did the feast proceed till the potatoes and corn were consumed, or so much of them as these ravenous creatures were disposed to discuss, for all went about their afternoon meal as gingerly as a Paris élégante flirts with an ice and imaginary biscuits. The wild boars of this district have indeed the characteristics of coming of a race not exactly bred to pass from their nurses into sausages. They give you the idea of a cross between the wolf and domestic swine, but retain apparently no trace of their savage origin, except a look of cunning and an apparent instinct of misanthropy. The least move we made was instantly detected, and acknowledged; but that was all. The herd made no manifestation of flight. They are as unpoetic and unvalorous a race as those that frequent the trough of the English farmer-at least, those we saw-and their hunting offers no features of enterprise beyond the slaying of pigeons at the Red-house. When a boar is to be shot the herd is enticed to dinner in the enclosure already spoken of. Then, all but the devoted one being scared away, the trap-doors of the loop-holes are closed, and the sportsman, ascending a sort of box-like the distance-chair of our race-courses-quietly administers a leaden pill to his patient. The reigning Duke kills a vast number this way every season-he keeps up a herd of nearly two thousand. Benedict observes, "When I said I should die a bachelor, I never thought I should live to be married." In like manner, when I have anathematized the practice of stag-hunting, little did I dream I should ever travel a thousand miles from my own particular penates to see venison done to death wholesale to the air of a polka. As regards the pigs, I will hold my peace. It is sad enough that the glowing wild wood romances, peopled with belted knights in Lincoln green, grim yagers, gaunt hounds, and all the pomp and circumstance of sylvan warfare, should be translated into this Smithfield edition which truth compels me to publish. The sporting reader, who would yet see attach to the recesses of the Hartz some relic of the olden machinery, shall at least be spared the pain of reflecting the complexion to which the savage boar of the Black Forest has come at last-what time he sticks his matutinal fork into the segment of a Cambridge sausage. quarry and the by boor grim gr as to ki us the chimer which the or in In griffi the I in w mou leag his tou of at F th a 266 CHAPTER ON YACHTING. THE COWES REGATTA, BY LORD WILLIAM LENNOX. One more upon the waters! yet once more!" 1845. BYRON. d the glorious meeting at Goodwood terminated, than of the approaching regatta at Cowes attracted my attention. y coat with the G.R.C. buttons was put away, and jacket and trowsers, the pilot coat, and the "norwester" An invitation to join a small squadron, who sail the orders of that truly popular and liberal supporter of all mming in August I left Brighton to report myself to the the Earl Fitzhardinge, was gladly accepted, and upon "When I drove up to the Blue Coach Office, in Castlehow different was the scene to what it used to be in the good of coaching. The "Prince of Wales," Southampton, the door, and as times go, was tolerably well horsed; but, of seeing two or three well-appointed drags ready to proceed London, a few over-loaded heavy-looking "busses" were waiting kup passengers for the rail. The journey was most agreeable, journeys are by road in fine weather; the harvest was looking and as I was fortunate enough to get seated near a gentleman the previous week had been engaged in the grand cricket match ween Sussex and Marylebone, and who enlightened me considerably passed most quickly, so much so, that when I reached Cosham, from apon many interesting points of that truly national game, the time whence I was to "fly" it to Portsmouth, I could scarcely believe that I had got over the two-and-forty miles. The Cowes' steamer was just about to start as I drove up to the Victoria pier, and landed me in the island just as the dinner flag was hoisted on board the Imogine. There I found the noble owner, surrounded with the officers of his squadron. Milner Gibson, Esq., M.P.-Sea Flower. Hon. Augustus Berkeley-St. Margaret. And Lord George Lennox, who acted as flag-lieutenant to the Commodore. The following morning was lovely, and it was a goodly sight to see the harbour and roads full of yacht "craft." The Pearl, the Alarm, the Intrepid, the Peterel, Wave, Noran, Charm, Adelaide, Corsair, Avenger, appeared amongst the most distinguished of the cutters. The schooners were ably represented by the Xarifa, Esmeralda, Galatea, Flirt, Janette, Gipsy Queen, Zephyretta, Gitana, Emmeline, Maud, and Peri. The Gulnare and Rachel luggers were knowinglooking "craft;" while the Sons of the Thames sported the Belvidere, Mystery, Blue Belle, Fleur de Marie, Fawn, Secret, Phantom, Champion, Gulnare, Violet, &c. If proof were wanting to shew that yachting is yearly increasing, it would only be necessary to go to Cowes to see the number of Thames men that now hoist their blue pennant in those waters; and here we will take upon ourselves to say (reader, excuse the editorial plural), that the Royal Thames Yacht Squadron is second to none. Should any one be sceptical on this subject, and like to put the question to the test, we know a noble and gallant owner of a cutter of about sixty tons, belonging to the R.T.Y.C., who would make a match round the island, or Queen's Cup Course, the vessel to be steered by the owner, and to be handled exclusively by members of the clubs to which the respective owners belong. This would be productive of much sport, and we hope that next season the event may come off. To return to the "Sons of the Thames;" if any one could look back to the period when the club consisted of some half dozen or dozen yachts, and when the prize was presented to the fortunate winner at Vauxhall Gardens, they would scarcely believe to what pre-eminence the club has now arrived at, both as to the distinguished names that now grace its list, and the amount of tonnage of its vessels. So great an effect could not be produced without most wonderful exertions, and we cannot pass over the merits of the truly honourable and independent commodore and vice-commodore of the club, W. H. Harrison, Esq., and Lord Alfred Paget, without offering them our meed of praise for the zeal and interest they have taken in the society, and which has raised it to its present high position. For many years the Thames Yacht Club have been the tritons among the minnows, "below and above bridge." They were perfectly au fait with Upper and Lower Pool, Limehouse, Greenwich and Blackwall Reaches, Bugsby's Hole, Woolwich, Gallions, Barking, Halfway, Erith Reaches, The Rands, Long, St. Clement's or Fiddler's Reaches, Northfleet, Hope, Gravesend, Sea Reach, Jenkin Swash, and Sheerness; but here their nautical knowledge ended. Now they will take charge of a vessel from the Nore to Spithead, Cowes, Plymouth, Cherbourg, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Straits. They will tell of the sands from the Nore to the North Foreland, and are perfectly acquainted with the Cant, Spile, Middle, Gilman, Spaniard, Spell, Woolpack, Searn, Last, Horse, Reculver, and Gore. From the North Foreland to the Downs they will know all the small knolls of shallow water, the Elbow and Gull, Thistle, Thorn, Spit, Coburn, Bill, Fox, Goose, Spur, Splinter, Bur, Crab, Caldron, and Boiler. From South Foreland to Beachy Head, the Varne and Ridge Shoals, the Roar, Swallow Bank, Dungeness, Boulder Bank, and Pevensey are as well known to them as Wapping Old Stairs, or Rotherhithe while from Beachy Head to Spithead, the Belle Toute No sooner had the glorious meeting at Goodwood terminated, than the notice of the approaching regatta at Cowes attracted my attention. The 66 cut-away coat" with the G.R.C. buttons was put away, and the blue jacket and trowsers, the pilot coat, and the "norwester" were got ready. An invitation to join a small squadron, who sail under the orders of that truly popular and liberal supporter of all British sports, the Earl Fitzhardinge, was gladly accepted, and upon a fine morning in August I left Brighton to report myself to the Commodore. When I drove up to the Blue Coach Office, in Castlesquare, how different was the scene to what it used to be in the good old times of coaching. The " Prince of Wales," Southampton, was at the door, and as times go, was tolerably well horsed; but, instead of seeing two or three well-appointed drags ready to proceed to London, a few over-loaded heavy-looking "busses" were waiting to pick up passengers for the rail. The journey was most agreeable, as all journeys are by road in fine weather; the harvest was looking well, and as I was fortunate enough to get seated near a gentleman who the previous week had been engaged in the grand cricket match between Sussex and Marylebone, and who enlightened me considerably upon many interesting points of that truly national game, the time passed most quickly, so much so, that when I reached Cosham, from whence I was to "fly" it to Portsmouth, I could scarcely believe that I had got over the two-and-forty miles. The Cowes' steamer was just about to start as I drove up to the Victoria pier, and landed me in the island just as the dinner flag was hoisted on board the Imogine. There I found the noble owner, surrounded with the officers of his squadron. Milner Gibson, Esq., M.P.-Sea Flower. Hon. Augustus Berkeley-St. Margaret. And Lord George Lennox, who acted as flag-lieutenant to the Commodore. The following morning was lovely, and it was a goodly sight to see the harbour and roads full of yacht "craft." The Pearl, the Alarm, |