266 Hark Away, 



wearing the customary green coat, looking quite at 

 home in his new vocation. Then we move off across 

 the common, and go in the direction of the railway, 

 where a halloa was heard, and we were somehow or 

 other quickly on to the scent of a fox, which had 

 gone away, and the hounds getting on his line, we 

 ran him through the covers, finally losing him in a 

 drain. After this we proceeded to the legitimate 

 business of the day, and a hare jumping up before 

 the hounds, they went away with a musical chorus 

 which it was delightful to hear. 



The day was cold and stormy, and there was not 

 an atom of scent, but our huntsman spared no exer- 

 tion to give us a gallop, and the hounds, which were 

 steady and diligent, did their best to puzzle out the 

 line of the hare. Not being able to press her, puss ran 

 a series of rings, during which there were some very 

 pretty fencing, the Earl of Lewes, who is a very bold 

 and clever rider, showing us the way in good style, 

 and, as I subsequently found, when following him 

 over a big fence, an awkward man to select as a pilot. 

 Consequently, I came to grief, and, like " vaulting 

 ambition," I o'erleaped myself and fell on the other 

 side, a cropper, and no mistake. No damage being 

 done, though I carried the marks of my downfall in 

 the shape of a well-mudded coat, I was more cautious 

 the remainder of the day, though I am bound to say 

 my mishap was purely accidental, arising from the 

 clever horse I was riding, who did not like being 

 kept waiting, clearing, when I let him go at it, the 

 topmost twig of the hedge, landing in a drain, coming 

 down on his knees, and laying me on the broad of my 

 back. The position, though not painful, was, to say 



