Satut^day, pebtruati^y I7th, 1894. 67 



from my spongy garments. The assemblage of 

 dripping men and horses move off to a brake 

 adjoining the '* meet," and, unperceived by me, in 

 consequence of the bhnding rain, sHp through some 

 gate or gap that admits them to firmer going, and 

 I find myself alone in my glory. The ground is 

 treacherous, and I am soon floundering through a 

 soft place, and sink to the girths. Horse comes out 

 thickly plastered with black slime. My boots, too, 

 have received a coating of the same composition, and 

 my v^hole person is sprinkled with jets of bog water. 



Out of this moor in which I find myself the only 

 way seems to be over a high bank, with a broad, 

 wet ditch on the take-off side. I dismount, throw 

 the reins over my horse's neck, slip whip-lash 

 through them, jump the ditch with difficulty, as my 

 garments are clinging to me and heavy with wet, 

 climb to top of bank, and give my horse a jerk of 

 the bridle to make him follow me. He runs back- 

 wards, and pulls me off the fence into the deep 

 trench of red, iron water at the foot. Try again. 

 Get over this time, but in landing on the other side 

 of bank slip, and fall on my face and hands into 

 yellow clay. 



The next fence has a slight-looking oak branch 

 across the opening at which I ride. The branch is 

 stiffer than it seemed to be. I cannot push it aside, 

 and am wrenched out of my saddle, and fall into 



