42 



next fence Mr. Mountflummery led with Mrs. C. in attend- 

 ance, Lord William, the Major and Archer lying handy, 

 and in this order they negotiated the water jump, where 

 Commissioner came a complicated cropper at a rather 

 formidable double. From this point the running was taken 

 up by Mr. Sniktaw, whose mare showed she possessed a 

 wonderful turn of speed. Her temper is, however, by na 

 means, her strong point, and after leading the field for ^ 

 of a mile at a strong pace, she resented her rider's attempt 

 to make it hotter by kicking him clean over her head. 

 Mr. Sniktaw's ideas of things in general were a bit mixed 

 for half an hour or so, but he was soon himself ao^ain and 

 able to ride home. Lord William was now at the head of 

 affairs, Mrs. C. waiting on him, Mr. Mountflummery, the 

 Major and Mr. P. D'Estrian next. Black Prince, Gipsy^ 

 and the Cripple some distance behind. 



The straight run in was very properly a long one, and, 

 although I could not make out the exact relative position 

 of all the horses, I could see that a riding habit and the 

 '' Waterford caubeen " were Avell to the front. Half way 

 home Mr. Mountflummery brought up St. Patrick, and 

 Cinders looked very like going to the head of aff^airs, but 

 the pace was too hot for him, and he speedily died away. 

 Mariner too showed signs of having had enough, and 

 despite Lord William's fine riding, lost a lot of ground, 

 making way for Claret, who was gradually closing the gap 

 between himself and the leaders of the hunt. At the last 

 fence but one, St. Patrick swerved from distress, but, being 

 quickly straightened, he came on again, and was soon on 

 even terms with Champion. A well-timed reminder con- 

 veyed through the medium of a riding whip soon sent the 

 speedy chestnut into his bridle, and it was, so far as one 

 could see, going to be a ding-dong race for every inch, and 

 so it proved, both horses rising at the last hurdle together. 

 St. Patrick was, however, beat, his hastily acquired condi- 

 tion being unequal to such a strain, and, rising only half 

 high enough to the hurdle, he came down a buster. 

 Champion flew the fence in magnificent form at a pace 

 w^e have never seen equalled on Cup day before, and 

 despite the brilliant finish of the Major and Lord William, 

 who were both hard at it, the Mem Sahib won the Paper- 

 chase Cup of 1882, amidst the longest and loudest cheer- 

 ing Bally gunge has ever heard. Major Cook a good 

 second, Lord William third. 



