courre_ in France.

Two accounts are here given of two comparatively modern figures in the
French hunting field, which show the great store set by the sport in
France.

In the annals of the Chateau de Grosbois, belonging to-day to the Prince
de Wagram, are the accounts of an early nineteenth century hunt, which
shows that the game cost dear. The "Grand Veneur" of the Napoleonic
reign was a master sportsman, indeed, and to-day, in a gallery of the
chateau, are preserved the guns of the master, his hunting crop and
saddle, his "colours" and his hunting horn.

From the registers of the chateau, under date of December 10, 1809, the
following, which concerned a hunting party given by the chatelain, is
extracted verbatim.

Note of the Maitre d'Hotel for collations for the guests 8,226 francs

Illuminations 1,080 francs

Gratifications to the beaters 1,000 francs

Eau de Cologne for the ladies 30 francs

Gun-bearers 148 francs

Helpers (150) 600 francs

Aids (200) 315 francs

Another hunt was given in 1811, in honour of Napoleon, when such items
as three thousand francs for an orchestra, a like sum for bouquets for
the ladies, a thousand or two for bonbons and fans, and twelve thousand
for hired furniture, etc., to say nothing of the expenses of the hunt
itself, made the bag somewhat costly. It was not always easy for the
master of the hunt to get justice when it came to paying for his
supplies, and in these same records a mention of a dozen leather
breeches at a hundred and forty francs each was crossed off and a
marginal note, _Non_, added in the hand of Marechal Berthier, Prince de
Wagram, himself.

The chief figure in the French hunting world of to-day is another
descendant of the Napoleonic portrait gallery, Prince Murat. At the age
of twelve the young Prince Joachim had already followed the hounds at
Fontainebleau and Compiegne. In his double quality of relative and
companion of the Prince Imperial he was one of the chiefs of the
equipment of the Imperial Hunt. To-day, though well past the span of
life, he is as active and as enduring in his participation in the
strenuous sport as many a younger man and his knowledge of the grand art
of