THE CALPE HUNT 233 



series of wild rocky ranges, the going becoming worse 

 the farther north one goes. To the north of west, 

 however, it is different. There an hour's ride brings 

 one into the first of a lonof series of cork-forests, and 

 in those districts the hunting is not unlike woodland 

 sport at home. 



It goes without saying that the country I have 

 described is practically unfenced. It must not, how- 

 ever, be supposed on that account that the riding is 

 free from danger. To live with hounds one must ride 

 up and down those sort of places which are often 

 described " as steep as the side of a house." The 

 best going may be a mule or a goat track — the worst 

 a Titanic pile of loose rocks. Down these the clever 

 little horses of the country go easily, slipping down 

 here, jumping there, or bucking over a big rock. But 

 an attempt to guide them is sure to result in a fall. 

 To a new-comer the place seems awful, in a fortnight 

 it seems nothing. I once overheard one man in a 

 newly -landed regiment remark to another, '* Just 

 look how that fellow rides ! " The fellow was 

 myself; for hounds, having just found, I was 

 going best pace through a covert of high broom, 

 interspersed with huge rocks. In about a week 

 the speaker had learnt equal confidence in his 

 mount. 



Clever as the horses are, it must not be supposed 

 that serious falls do not happen. In fact, at the 

 period I speak of the Huntsman, Payne, had a 

 tremendous crumpler, breaking several bones. From 

 the very nature of things it follows that such falls 

 are serious, as they very often result in horse and 

 man rolling down half a hillside. The Higueron 



