10 



and falls plentiful. The fox now headed, and came back, leaving 



Henfield to the right, the hounds were close at him, horses were 



getting tired, and falls at almost every fence, and here, among the 



rest, your humble servant got one, in leaping over a hedge and ditch 



into an old muddy lane ; the old mare pitched on her head, and of 



course, I pitched on mine ; the mare got up first, but she stopped 



for me ; I was quickly up and mounted again, but I was obliged to 



scrape the mud out of my eyes before I could see anything. The 



next leap we came to was over a hedge and ditch sinking into a 



fallow field ; friend Kettel was the first to have it, and the first to 



get a fall, and his horse rolled right over him, but like a Britain, he 



was soon up and mounted again, and quickly had the hounds in 



view ; we kept labouring on, and now some gentlemen said here is 



Wood's mill, but one gentleman was not quite satisfied with this 



informati'ni, he rode slap into the mill pond, — never mind, he got 



out again, he only made a hole in the water, and it was all done to 



keep the hounds in view, — but of course we could not stop, we kept 



galloping on, and dash into Trvily furze field we came ; herereynard 



was dead beaten, but that was of no use, the hounds could not get 



hold of him, he kept getting back on his foil ; we were here a long 



time, at last he bolted into Totington wood, which was just by, and 



that was full of foxes ; it was half -past four o'clock, and getting 



dark ; j\Ir. Craven ordered the hounds to be stopped ; we run that 



slapping chase, which lasted one hour, without a check, and our 



horses were all sadly beaten. I now set the old mare's head in a 



direct line for Southease, as I had something like the tune of 20 miles 



to ride home. In riding across Truly sands, I saw a gentleman in 



scarlet sitting under the hedge, smoking a cigar, and his horse in the 



ditch beside him. I said ' ' halloa, sir, what a n't you get him out ? ' ' 



He replied, " Oh, yes, I can get him out Kent, but the poor devil 



is tired, and so am I, let him rest a little, and he will get out ; " this 



was F. Thomas, Esq. I then rode on and got into the road, and 



when I came to Folking there was a pool of water, and as my head 



and face was covered with mud, I thought I should like to rinse 



some of it off. I called at the cottage just by,, and asked the old 



lady to lend me a dry cloth, which she did. I gave my head a good 



sousing in the water, and then rubbed myself dry with the cloth, 



which made me |uite comfortable. I carried the cloth back to the 



old lady, I thanked her, and gave her a trifle to wash the cloth again ; 



she said, " she did not think I had got a face when I came for the 



cloth, but I see you have now, sir." I now mounted and rode 



on again. I was soon overtaken by Mr. Ingram ; he was highly 



delighted with the fine day's sport we had had, and also with his 



young fom'-year old horse, in carrying him so well. We rode 



together to the old dog kennel at Brighton, and then I turned off for 



Falmer, it was very dark and foggy ; when I came to the foot of 



Newmarket hill I thought I could find my road over the foot-path 



to Kingstone, but I soon got lost in the fog. I knew where I was 



all the time as Pat said, I knew what 20 acre fallow I was on, but 



what use was that, I could not get off. I kept riding and riding, 



but I could not get off the piece. I rode for an hour, at last I came 



