ENGLISH M.P.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1929, Page 7

ENGLISH M.P.

BOAR. HUNTING ON HORSEBACK. CANNES, November 20. Sir Warden Chilcott, ALP., who has arrived here in his yacht- Dolphin, has just concluded a month’s holiday at h s 1,500-years-old chateau at St. I lorent. in Corsica, where he is now lord of the manor and owns 1,000 acres. He tells me lie has just completed the restoration of the ancient chateau, wiliest is now equipped with every modern * luxury. During his holiday Sir Warden and his guests have been engaged in the exciting sport of boar hunting. He has an English huntsman and a pack of 50 dogs, and in strict regulation pink he and his guests have much success. Sir Warden and his party are mounted for the chase. They are the first mounted boar chasers in the history of Corsica. The sport is one of the oldest forms of amusement on the island, and from time immemorial the beaters and hunters have taken their direction from observers stationed oil the hilltops. The latter, bv signals which they sound on old hunting horns, indicate to the men in the bracken and undergrowth what direction they should take. This sport is real “pig-sticking,” and the riders carry long lances or pikes, and not firearms. How the chateau at St. Florent came into Sir Warden Chilcott’s possession is interesting. Two. years ago, when the Dolphin was on its way to Leghorn (Livorno) with Sir Austen and Lady Chamberlain to meet Signor Mussolini stree of weather forced the yacht into the Golfe St. Florent. Next morning, when the storm had abated, the party saw the beautiful harbour with the Corsican mountains in the background, and after exploring ashore Sir Warden Chilcott then and there decided to acquire a place. After several visits latter he purchased “for a song” the old ruined chateau. MEDIEVAL FINDS. This Sth-ccntury monastery lias perhaps one of the most interesting records of all places in Corsica, or even in the adjacent Province country, for it has been in turn monastery, fortress, prison, church, and olive factory. Sir Warden, who has personally supervised the rebuilding, tells me that Moorish, Saracen, Greek, and Roman coins and armour have come to light when digging, and among other relics found were ancient cannon and fowl-ing-pieces, lead and iron bullets and roundshot, and skeletons. In the place of honour on the balcony facing the sea is a much-prized coping or rim of a well of St Florent, said in ancient times to possess such curative qualities that Napoleon is reputed to have made eight different attempts to find it, but without success. Sir Warden Chilcott speaks French. but he does not speak Corse, the language of the island. One day the Bishop of St. Florent said to him: “Do you speak Corse Taking the English meaning of the word “coarse, ’ Sir Warden jokingly replied: “Yes, monseigneur, I speak it well and fluently when 1 am in a bad temper.” The bishop is still wondering why the reply caused such merriment among tne English-speaking members of the party.