i6 The TetGOtt Hunt UXeek. 



take the bank with perfect ease. It is not rotten, 

 after all. My horse's bridle, fortunately for me, has 

 got entangled in a thorn bush. But just as I have 

 cleared the reins, and am about to mount, up come 

 the rest of the " field." And this so excites my 

 horse, that whilst I am making vain efforts to mount 

 him, he is continually dragging me further and 

 further up the wood that ascends from the river. 

 Again and again I endeavour to get up on his back, 

 but am unable to do so. He will not stand still a 

 moment. At the top of the wood there is a gate ; 

 against this I press him so close that he cannot rise 

 at it. Then I mount by aid of the bars of gate, 

 thus favouring the weak part of my armour, which 

 has been sorely tried by my late struggles in the 

 wood and up the hill. When mounted, I open the 

 gate, and find myself on an extensive moor, where I 

 might have seen the whole chase spread out before 

 me had I been a minute sooner. However, I have a 

 glorious spin over this open ground. Wonder how 

 many men, in the grand runs that we read of, see 

 much more of the hounds than I am doing now. 

 Some men imagine themselves in the run when they 

 are following, at a respectful distance, the last bit of 

 pink visible. Why should I not call upon imagina- 

 tion to do without that bit of pink. I am with 

 hounds, if not in the same field, I am in the same 

 county with them, and going well — and safely, as I 



