HUNTING SONGS 



The river was very high from the floods, and a very strong stream 

 was running, in consequence of which the fox was carried over Newby 

 Weir, and the whole of the hounds also ; but they all got out safely, 

 and took up the scent immediately on the opposite side. There was 

 a ford just below, with posts marked with different distances up to the 

 height of five feet, so as to show where the river is fordable ; but on 

 that day the river was so high that not even the posts were visible. 

 We were all, therefore, obliged to make for the ferry. 



The ferry boat was overloaded, and no sooner did it get into the 

 stream than the water began to rush in over the sides. Sir Charles 

 Slingsby's horse. Old Saltfish (whom he bought the first year he took 

 the hounds, fifteen years ago), finding there was something wrong, 

 jumped into the water. Sir Charles held on to the reins, to induce 

 him to swim alongside, but, not calculating sufficiently the force of the 

 stream and the weight of the horse, he was overbalanced and fell in. 

 (I have seen several papers state that there was then a rush made to 

 one side ; but the horses were so closely packed on board, like bullocks 

 in a bullock truck, that they could not have moved from any cause.) 

 The boat then swayed once or twice, and finally turned completely 

 over, for several seconds leaving nothing to the view but the bottom 

 of the boat. It seemed impossible that any should be saved, but by 

 degrees heads began to appear ; and Mr. Clare Vyner, having scrambled 

 on to the upturned boat, gallantly assisted all he could reach to gain 

 the same haven. The boat, being still held by the chain, acted as a 

 breakwater, and therefore all those who came up near the boat had no 

 stream to contend against. Unfortunately, Sir Charles Slingsby was 

 some way down the stream, in the full force of the current. He 

 struggled gamely to reach the boat but it was hopeless. If he had 

 only turned and swum with the stream, in all human probability he 

 would have been saved ; for when he was finally exhausted he sank 

 (still struggling to reach the boat) close to the north shore, whither he 

 had been carried by the stream, but where, unfortunately, there was 

 no one to help. Old Saltfish followed his master like a dog to the 

 very end, and at last swam past him, unfortunately, with the near side 

 next to Sir Charles, who with his last effort tried to grasp the horse's 

 neck ; but the mane being on the opposite side, he only succeeded in 

 catching the bridle. Both immediately sank — Sir Charles never to 

 be seen again alive, but the old horse rose again to the surface, and 

 then swam ashore. 



Mr. Robinson — who was always extremely nervous in crossing 

 ferries, as he was unable to swim, and always entertained a horror of 

 being drowned — according to his usual custom, never got off his horse 

 on entering the boat, and when it upset he rode several yards down 



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