294 WOLF-HUNTING. 



hurried at once to the spot ; and, finding the mare was alive, 

 proceeded to a neighbouring mine, and procured the help of 

 several men with shears, pulleys, and ropes. A man then volun- 

 teered to go down, stuck a candle in his hat with a lump of clay, 

 and was lowered to a considerable depth ; but, his heart failing 

 him, he shouted out to be pulled up again, declaring, as he came 

 to grass (a miner's term), that the air was so foul he could not live 

 below. 



Another man, however, whose heart was in a better place, 

 enquired if the mare was alive ; and, on being told she was, said 

 confidently : " Then, if she can live, I can ; so lower away, my 

 lads : " and down he went fourteen fathoms eighty-four feet He 

 was down some time, and at length the signal came to " Pull up ;" 

 and up he came. " The mare," said the man, " is resting on her 

 tail, with her fore-legs reared against the side of the shaft. There 

 is a deal of slush and water, but I managed to fix the rope with a 

 timber-hitch round some part of her body. So, all hands, haul 

 away ! " Eighteen stalwart men then set to work ; and, in a 

 minute or two, up she came to the grass-bank, whinnied and 

 neighed when she saw the light, and was on the point of being 

 released from the rope, when suddenly, either from curiosity to see 

 the mare, or some other cause, the men let go their hold ; and, 

 not being fairly landed, down she went again with the running 

 rope to the very bottom of the pit. 



Sleeman was now in despair. Indeed, from the first he had 

 given up the mare as lost ; but he was now certain she must be 

 dead. However, the men were for making one more trial ; and 

 finding the rope fast to something, they hauled away, and up 

 came the mare for the second time, the running noose being 

 firmly fixed round her fore-pastern joint. Safely landed this time, 

 she got up, shook herself, and walked home to her stable, without 

 a serious scratch. After this event Mr. Sleeman rode the mare 

 with hounds for fifteen seasons ; and then, when done for hunting, 



