'47 



that there was a small mistake made here by his rider and that a flag was missed 

 and he was holloa'd to, but after-events made it unnecessary to bring him back 

 and it is as well to say that the circumstances had no sort of influence or eff^ect 

 upon the result of the race, and that whether he went right or wrong it mattered 

 not as far as the race was concerned. I think, however, he should not have 

 been stopped ; no umpire being near, and nobody certain as to the fact of his 

 being on the wrong side of the flag ; he of course got a long start here, but a 

 very (for the others) ? fortunate bank, brought him up, and all four were aj^ain 

 together Much time elapsed before the obstacle was overcome and they 

 followed, an English mare, Felicity, Captain G. over, Marksman leading, and 

 it was his pace at this critical moment that placed him where he was at the end 

 of it, for thirty or forty yards off. there was a double ditch, measuring fifteen 

 feet and upwards, over which he went clear and safe. Tiny who was close at 

 him, tipping the farther bank and going down a summerset ; Duncan Grey, 

 next in order, rolled over him. and the third horse Skyscraper, thinking that 

 arms and legs and bodies were like bundles of straw, and broke a fall consider- 

 ably, was rattled at it, and of course, went down sprawling among them. There 

 was, I am glad to say, no mischief done ; there is little use in continuing the 

 account ; this circumstance sent Marksman in an easy winner —admirably 

 jockeyed from first to last, — in fact, I never saw better or steadier rining. 



Tiny had every chance given him by his rider, but those who fancied he was 

 the best horse in the race were much out in their reckoning; he is as g lod an 

 Arab as ever jumped (a capital jumper too), but not one of the youngest, and 

 his age and size make it ridiculous to think he could travel with the winner, a 

 large fresh young horse. Perhaps the fastest horse in the race was Duncan Grey, 

 who, for almost a beginner at this sort of work, went admirably and his rider 

 looked quite delighted with him, if one might judge from his countenance ; but 

 as happiness here below is seldom or ever uiialioyed, he was obliged to eat a 

 little dust before breakfast this morning, which had the effect, as I can testify, 

 of heightening rather than destroying his appetite, — Skyscraper save that he 

 disdained the rail (a fact which caused some raillery, of course), was very well 

 piloted throughout, but as I said before, in my opinion, it was Marksman's pace 

 before crossing the large ditch which gave him the race. The horses were very 

 fairly matched, as the race, except here and there, was not fast, but one must 

 still have one's own idea of things, and I think the winning rider was on the 

 winning horse, — not but that had Tiny landed well at the double ditch, the race 

 might have been very near ; but I do not think he could have won not having 

 the necessary quantity of foot for the company he was in. Did steeple races 

 oftener occur, I could dite a little upon the comportment fitting for spectators, 

 who behaved very badly on this occasion, crossing the course in all directions and 

 at all times which should be remedied in future ; there should also be three 

 umpires and all disputes settled at once, and on the spot ; they should be well 

 mounted and always at hand. 



In those days the men who rode to hounds were 

 mostly mounted upon Arabs. ^ We wonder how many 

 of these little Sons of the Desert or even the above- 

 mentioned Marksman, would ever see the way the field 

 goes to-day in even a pony hunter's steeplechase at 

 Tollygunge ; very few indeed, we fear, would be within hail 

 of the leaders after the first fence — and yet the obstacles 

 that they were asked to cross in those old days were a 

 good deal stiffer than, if they were not so high as, the 



