194 The Chase 



ing his Royal Highness, he graciously mentioned 

 our last meeting. Having long before made up my 

 mind that, when a man is upon a hunter, the safest 

 place in the hunting field is close to the hounds, I 

 asked the Prince to gallop fast to get to the front ; 

 and this, the pace not being great, we accomplished 

 in a few fields. 



The hounds then began to run over the large 

 pastures near to Bradden. A real good stake-and- 

 bound fence presented itself to us, with the ditch on 

 the taking off side. Over the Prince went ! and I 

 never saw a fence better jumped. On reaching the 

 top of the hill, there was a very nasty double fence 

 which had to be jumped, so I gave the lead over, 

 and the Prince landed well into a large grass field 

 where there was every sign of a run. Hounds had 

 settled down and matters were going very nicely, 

 when the hounds turned right-handed and set their 

 heads straight for a brook. Having made up my 

 mind, I raced down, jumping a fence into the 

 meadow, and charged the brook, and was no sooner 

 over than I turned round and called out, " Send 

 him at it ! " The Prince rode readily at it, and 

 jumped the brook in gallant style. The pack ran 

 up to Blakesley village, and did not do much after- 

 wards. His Royal Highness was charmed ; he 

 declared that he had never jumped such a good 

 piece of water in his life. Lord Royston and 

 another gentleman in attendance got into trouble 

 over the same place. The Prince informed me 

 that Lord Royston was not content with fewer 

 than two falls in a day ! 



J. M. K, Elliott, 



