300 Ha7'k Away. 



meeting, a limited number of winter-clad, fur- 

 bedecked females, whose charms were hidden be- 

 neath waterproofs and ulsters, were to be seen 

 plashing along the oozy footpaths ; whilst those 

 who appeared in carriages were muffled up as 

 though they were going to face a Siberian winter, 

 and the fair damsels who were mounted on their 

 steeds wended their way through mud and dirt, 

 looking as if they had been riding across a heavy 

 country at the tail of a pack of foxhounds. This 

 was the state of things when I reached the Maga- 

 zine, where 1 found only two coaches in position, the 

 occupants being closely muffled up, so that scarce a 

 glimpse of the fair faces or a glint from the spark- 

 ling eyes of the hooded beauties could be discerned. 

 In fact, it was as dismal a look-out as could well be 

 imagined for the opening day of a meeting which 

 usually attracts so many lookers-on. By degrees 

 the nineteen members, who were bold enough to face 

 the ruffian blasts of the most deplorable of May days, 

 appeared on the scene, and in due course were 

 formed into line, and at the signa to move on, 

 started in the following order : — First, the noble Vice- 

 President of the Coaching Club, Lord Carington, 

 driving his four blood-like, quick-stepping nags in 

 his accustomed form; his well-appointed blue and 

 red coach, by Peters, being thoroughly up to the 

 mark. Next followed Colonel Ferguson, tooling his 

 blue and yellow coach, one of Holland's make, 

 steadily along; succeeded by Captain Foster on a 

 similar drag as regards make and colour. Then 

 came Mr. Deichmann, with his well-appointed coach 

 of Holland's build, and like colour as the two pre- 



