58 iHeiT iui)o ?^unt, antJ tijnr ^cculiavitug. 



less daring class, which I have styled Cunning riders. 

 Amongst such may be often found a goodly sprinkling 

 of genuine and thorough sportsmen, who, through 

 advance of years, loss of nerve, or some other irre- 

 mediable cause are unable longer to retain their old 

 position in Class I. This is an eminently respectable 

 portion of the field, and frequently also embraces 

 men whose hearts are right, but whose purses are 

 not, and who are consequently under-horsed, as well 

 as the younger spirits who have not as yet aspired 

 to higher honours. 



The most noticeable peculiarity of its members is 

 that they most invariably turn up, and appear upon 

 the scene of action during a run when their advent 

 would have been least looked for, or expected, which 

 fact is attributable to their being generally piloted 

 by some local "Bradshaw," who, if he does not (as I 

 fear is sometimes the case) anticipate the point which 

 the fox desires to make, and reach it before the latter, 

 will certainly not arrive with his cavalry upon the 

 scene long after him, and as often as not, except, 

 of course, in a fast straight run, before his pursuers. 



But we must again push on, or more correctly 

 speaking, hark back, and leave this devoted company 

 of '' forward " sportsmen for the absolutely tag end 

 of our scattered company — The Gap Hunters, or, 

 as they might as appropriately be termed The 



