Satut'day, ^ehPUapy I7th, 1894. 69 



tilted legs to waistband and small of back. The 

 sensation is electrifying. I cannot bear the shock. 

 The water trickling up my spine makes me shiver. 

 I get up and unbind the gate, mount, and proceed 

 across a ploughed field — very deep going indeed — to 

 a fence into the high road. The driving rain confuses 

 me, and half blinded I jump on to what appears to 

 be an ordinary bank, and find myself on the roof of 

 a cartshed which has the hedge in place of a 

 back wall. What is to be done ? If I advance a 

 step farther I shall go through. I must retrace my 

 steps if possible. I do so without mishap. For, 

 though my horse's hind legs break into the thatched 

 roof as he turns, yet he cleverly recovers himself, 

 and descends safely to terra flrma. I look out a 

 place free from lean-to farm buildings, and get into 

 the road. Meantime the hounds, whilst I have been 

 manoeuvering at a distance, have been steadily draw- 

 ing brake after brake, covert after covert, in vain. 

 I catch sight of them every now and then, but can 

 never get to them. I see them now crossing a deep 

 bottom, towards a gorse on the opposite hill. I try 

 once more to join them, and get *' properly stogged " 

 in a athomless mire. The rain is coming down in 

 torrents, the wind is '' cruel cold," and my teeth 

 chatter, as I try to assist and encourage my horse 

 to extricate himself from the bog. He cannot do so. 

 I have to seek help at a neighbouring farm. With 



