FOX-HUNTING 



strong, with deep, slippery ground on each side of it. " Now 

 for the timber-jumper," cries Osbaldeston, pleased to find 

 himself upon Ashton, " For Heaven's sake, take care of my 

 hounds, in case they may throw up in the lane." Snob is 

 here in the best of company, and that moment perhaps the 

 happiest of his life ; but, not satisfied with his situation, wishing 

 to out-Herod Herod, and to have a fine story to tell when he 

 gets home, he pushes to his speed on ground on which all 

 regular Leicestershire men are careful, and the death-w^arrant 

 of the little bay horse is signed. It is true he gets first to the 

 gate, and has no idea of opening it ; sees it contains five new^ 

 and strong bars, that will neither bend nor break ; has a great 

 idea of a fall, but no idea of refusing ; presses his hat firmly 

 on his head, and gets his whip-hand at liberty to give the good 

 little nag a refresher ; but all at once he perceives it will not 

 do. When attempting to collect him for the effort, he finds 

 his mouth dead and his neck stiff ; fancies he hears something 

 like a wheezing in his throat ; and discovering quite un- 

 expectedly that the gate would open, wisely avoids a fall, 

 which was booked had he attempted to leap it. He pulls up, 

 then, at the gate ; and as he places the hook of his whip under 

 the latch, John ^Vhite goes over it close to the hinge-post, and 

 Captain Ross, upon Clinker, follows him. The Reviewer then 

 walks through. 



' The scene now shifts. On the other side of the lane is a 

 fence of this description : it is a newly plashed hedge, abound- 

 ing in strong growers, as they are called, and a yawning ditch 

 on the further side ; but, as is peculiar to Leicestershire and 

 Northamptonshire, a considerable portion of the blackthorn, 

 left uncut, leans outwards from the hedge, somewhat about 

 breast-high. This large fence is taken by all now with the 

 hounds — some to the right and some to the left of the direct 

 line ; but the little bay horse would have no more of it. Snob 

 puts him twice at it, and manfully too ; but the wind is out of 

 him, and he has no power to rise. Several scrambles, but only 

 one fall, occur at this rasper, all having enough of the killing 



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