The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-09-23
II Boar Bunt in g
e the Hrdenne$.


IT WAS the fag-end of the London sea-
son. Everyone was out of town, and
Pail Mall, Piccadilly, Bond street and the
streets of clubdom generally wore a de-
serted, fOrlorn aspect, most depressing
to one familiar with them during the
fashionable season. Being one of the
unfortunates still left in town, | was
sauntering lstlessly in the direction of
my club, wondering if ! could find some
other unlucky wight in the same pre-
djcament, with whom to exchange con-
,dOlences over a cigar, and who would
aid me in deciding which of the numer-
Gus invitations td accept-sent me by
somewhat numerous circle of friends.
Fishing, | cared nothing for; it was
TOO early for grouse, ptarmigan or deer,
and the hunting season would not com
mence until November. As was debat
ing this important question pro and
con, a hearty slap on the shoulder
aroused me from my Teverie. Turning,
I recognized a man with whom l had
shot big game in many parts of the
'iworldr-Baron Ton-Ton de NJ, as he was
known among his familiars.
"Why, who would have thought of
finding you in town." said my friend,
familiarly linking his arm in mine.
~'Don't know where to spend your long
Neave, Ell? What do you say to taking
"a run over to my shooting box in the
,tArdennes2 [ can show you some pretty
good sport among the pigs. Oh, it's
mot like pig-sticking in India-quite
different, you know. There is decided
element of danger in it. so dear to the
heart of the true sportsman. Come, is it
a go?"
BY this time we had reached the club,
and in a few minutes it was arranged
that l was to meet De NJ. in Brussels, in
month from that time. Truth to tell,
the proposition jumped with my incli-
nations, for l had long been anxious to
try conclusions with Sus critatus of the
forest of the Ardennes, the conqueror of
the Indian pigs. [ had heard many
stories of his extraordinary ferocity,
agility and quickness in his encounters
with his natural enemy. man. knew
shat for hundreds of years this truly
game beast had tried the nerve and skill
of the most noted sportsmen the
world has produced, in which the quad
ruped had more than once proved HIM
self more than match for his intrepid
bipedal assaiant.
My preparations were soon made; the
smoke and fog of London were left be-
hind; Brussels was reached, and in
few hours we had arrived at my friends
shOoting-box, which was situated not
far from Sedan, so memorable for the
disastrous surrender of Napoleon Ill
40 the Germans on the fatal September
60, 1870.
The forest itself covers an area of
little over 1000 square miles, and is one
of the few forests in Europe which.
thanks to the wise policy of the French
forest department, is still in its prime
val state. The game, which consists OF
red and fallow deer, wildrpigs, and NUM-
erous species of the feathered kingdom,
is rigidly preserved by the landed pro-
prietors in its vicinity, who possess
!seignorial rights subject to the pay
ment of a small impost to the govern
ment. The wild pigs which roam over
this vast extent of territory are. Of
course, the most strictly protected of
all the game in the region. During the
close or breeding season, which is from
.the middle of November to the end of
December when the sows leave the
boars and retire into secret Businesses
of the forest with their litters, to pro-
'-tect them from the ferocious attacks
of their mates, is especially rigidly OBJ
served, no animals being hunted dur
3ng that period; for the animals. fero-
cious as they are at all times. are es-
Tecially so in the breeding season. In
the summer and autumn is the best time
for the sport, for then the boars are
alone and ever ready for fray.
The first few days of my stay were
devoted to making preparations for
grand battu, and my host held long
and mysterious conferences with his
faithful henchmen; and finally one
bright autumnal morning found us all
in the saddle surrounded by some half
hundred beaters and gamekeepers lead
ing several couples of powerful boar
hounds in leashes. The baying of the
huge hounds, the shrill blasts of the
sPortsmen's horns and the shouts of the
men all combined to form ascene which
stirred blood and sent it leaping wild
Iv through the veins of the most phleg-
matjc.
4 short ride of about four miles
brought us to a sort of natural clearing
in the forest, where the horses were
left in charge of the grooms, and Hans,
the head gamekeeper, proceeded to as
:sign us to our respective stations, Civ
ing as strict injunctions not to stir
from thence on peril of our lives, or to