THE RESULT. 17 



cleared at a fly, and then pulled him together, so 

 as to collect his stride before taking the last fence. 

 On looking back I saw the chesnut evidently 

 labouring hard, for, having jumped short at the 

 water, the bank had given way beneath his hind 

 legs, and he was heavily shaken on landing. He 

 scrambled out, however, very cleverly, and, strug- 

 gling on, with the expiring effort of a thoroughly 

 game horse rose at the last fence ; but nature was 

 exhausted, his strength was spent, and he fell on 

 landing; whilst Moonlight cleared it, and cantered 

 in past the Grand Stand a winner, amidst deafen- 

 ing shouts and yells of delight from the soldiers 

 who lined the course. The race was closely con- 

 tested throughout, and at the last was so near a 

 thing that the victor could hardly triumph or his 

 antagonist feel mortified at the result. Had the 

 favourite not met with the accident at the water, I 

 might have come off second best. It was, how- 

 ever, a red-letter day in my career ; and my heart 

 still glows with delight when I recall to mind my 

 first steeple-chase. 



