, 1873-12-20
A HUNT WITH VICTOR EMANUEL,


Tho Impression which tho clivalrous Hing
nlade upon me Mt my last visit to tho italian
Court, after not having scou him for fifteen
years, WAS most agreeable ono. Do not iua-
agino him to DO stir court1er, but genuine
choyalior,-a sort of mcdispyal lantlaknccht, who
sncmH to please tho ItalinnH on account Of his
bsuntness, which il 10 greatly ut Variance with
thoir polished. iua'nunting manners. Although
only Of medium saturo, ho presents comnnnd-
ing appearance by lliB well-roundol form, his
faAhing Dyes, and military bearing
lie canie to meet mo with ontstretohsd hands,
welcomed me heartily. and askod mo about my
relatives, with whom ho was acquainted.
Tic samo evening dined with him. Victor
Emanuel, az {. lruo Piedmonteao, naunchotl lia
griDini 0ong, thin broad-rolls), and disdaincd
partaksng Of any other dishes. But bis abstcua-
iousuoss was not surprising; for hc likes to dino
alone. Walking up and down In his room, he
cats half-a-dozen ha!f-raw outlets from tho side
piodmonteao vino. Whcn attending gala-ln-
nors. lle never oats anything but the abovo-men-
toned grigiai,
Tho King dismissed Mo that evening later than
tho rest OF tho guests, and inyitvd mo to 80
hunting with hin next day.
Toward evening OH tho following day, in cnr-
rla7es drawn by four Thoroughbred horses (ror
Victor Emanuel has tho luost stud Of horses in
Gratan Alps, tho only mountaluoua region out
sdo Of Spain wlero tho lbDx is found get for 1t
has long become extinct in Savoy, switzorl-nd,
and tue Tyrol.
Wo Ind 10 companions but few aidoa aud
hunters. Ind presented two epoudid needle
guns to tho King, and lie told mo llo waa burn-
Ing to try them upon thls nobleat anl raress Of
European gano.
EARLY in the morning the King distributed tho
cast for the hunt amoug us. 4 fow carriers
were sent With provisions to all appointed place
III the Inountnins, where we wcro to meet at the
end of tho hunt. Tho aidea and huutors as-
cended 1nDuntain-path to the loft, while tho
Ang aud !, acsompanlod a 5 By Y, single sersans.
dressed in short black velvet jacket. In his
hand 10 hold long Alpino Hta1, aud his rino
waa strung across lis back. Tho sun roso ns-
jostieally. and it soon 9ccaue worry warm. Nov
so. indeed, that I was hardly able 70 keep stop
With him. We loft tho forcHts behind III, and
passed through tho Alpine pastures. Every now
aud then tho King stood still to tako broath.
tiold-gass. We hoard tho aAriil notes Of the
marmots, but dsdaiued firing ut such ,gnoblo
game.
Then VIC rcachol tho snowy regions. aud our
atteudaut declared TINT ho clearly discernod the
frosh trail Of I'LL iboI hord
Suddenly sho Kng motioned to mo, and. hand
ing no tho tield-glRsB, pointed at several durk
spots betweou Il rocky slopo aud glacier. At =
glanco I tscerned three tino specimens of tho
ibcx grazing on green oasis,-tho lret ever
behell. Notwithstanding tho grcnt distance,
plaiuly saw how ono of tlem turned around aud
Bnspiciously snnIcl the air. The aulmals bad
probably hoarl tho nolso Of our ascout, bnt had
evidently not yot seen III. Now, it was all i'm
portant for uB to yet between them and tho
wind. Tho King orderod bis attendant to steal
around them, and to drive thom toward lis With
loud noise, whiio wo were to climb up cautiously
to meet them. We laY dowu prostitute upon tho
ground and watched tho progross OF the attend-
ant, who with the utmost ctrcumspection, por~
formed his arduo,ls taal. 1t laatod half MI hour
before lie camo up closo to them. At longth lo
roso within ten foot Of tho throo iboxea*
The King uprang to lis feet. Lis face was
:. Do ready 10 shoot!" ho whispered to me,
Tie distance Is great, bat you must show that
pruusianB can shoot wall."
We climbed With tho utmost caution 4 little
higher. The King then drow from hls belt d
Buiall silver whistle, and blew on 1t. Tho ue1s
moment d large ibox emerged from bahind tho
opposite rock, aud tried to croBa tho chasIo
separating it from 1lB. The King tirod, and tho
se sosed % Ses aowa whe ' s Closely pS fooved I'd he ne
first. But it sllrang to itB feet again, and tried
to ratraco its stops II met, howoyor. os4r third
ibex, and both fel under our fatal bullets.
Tho oxcltemont Of this raro sport had ilalf
animals, whilo tho King folIowed nlo alowly.
When we reached them, Victor Emanuel: than
Wliam no ono oan be moro genorolia. sala tilo
honor Of tue day belonged to mo, although he
NltIl64ll l4au IlTtu tuo Hlbt 4uGA$ otos' "A6@*3s
thls protested; but ho waY lnllc1lhlo.
80, two at tho ilexoa were declared to bo
mino. What magnificent animals thoy ara!
They aro amal1or than ellamoia, hut, notwith'
standing their in,nlonEc horla by fur more agile.
Their Silt, IL not brown uko that Of tue chamoia.
but gray and Bhagg1or.
Yliu King now aa1lt tho attendant to take tho
g1nlo houie aud then conducted mo to tho
roulezyplle Tho road waH tho most Magniti-
cent oyor travelled in tho Alps. Frequently wo
hal to join lsaut|B In orlor to got on. I 1nust
uoufess that my strength waa nearly exhausted
but Victor EMANUEL walltcsl OIL with astonisl-
ing yisor. ! was glad wlon we cHpied the aides
whom NO had loft IN the morning, and who TO-
colvetl iii with enthusiastic cheers
They we're Hittlug rouud u 1argo fire Gil Besta
Of NOES, and wo were asked to oat and drink
With them. ---
" You are a good sportsn,an." aail Victor
Emanuel, gayly, to mo. "and 10 you must permit
mo to trout you ~ nl1eh."
1lo took up chicken, and aeiz!ng 1t by ono OF
the lnd legs, oiforeA mo thu otler. aaylllE cay"
ly: "I4et uH 60 halves !" We pulled aauiadcr,
and got tho bigger part.
I" Now q good goblet OF onr rcd vino !" shouss
cd tue King. "TAis is bcttor tLan all your gala
dinualx !"
Bucl, was my hunt with Victor Emanuel. Ha
Ia ayssy iuoh Yportamans soldlast sna 9akA