FOX-HUNTING TYPES 223 



down to be " before the wall, and then hoists himself 

 over ; while another fellow takes a circle round the 

 road, nearly knocking half a dozen people down in 

 order to get a run at the fence, at which he bungles 

 horribly. See that lady, how she gets her horse 

 collected, has two short strides, and flips over. But 

 we haven't time for more ! Bustle along the road and 

 fling open the next gate you come to on the left ; 

 there's a long line of gaps beyond it, and we shall be 

 on the high ground on the right of hounds. Well 

 done ! Now we can shove along as hard as we can 

 lay legs to the ground. Isn't it splendid going ? What 

 a glorious sensation even to an old 'un to send a free- 

 going horse along over such turf as this, light, old, 

 upland grass that has never been broken up, with the 

 keen air whistling past one, and that jolly cry of 

 hounds and the indescribable sound of the chase ever 

 in our ears. 



There they go ! " Readies, how they run ! " as old 

 Jorrocks would say ; but there is a " tail " on the field, 

 and no mistake ! What a string ! Look at the little 

 group in front — bay horse is leading, turning neither 

 to right nor left, but four men are in line close 

 behind him, and taking the fences just as they lie 

 before them, rising and dropping like clockwork 

 figures, yet gaining not an inch on the pack. We, 

 too, have a following up here. Look round and see 

 what a line of horsemen are after us ! Stick your 

 whip under that pole now, and lift it off the top of 

 those stones in the gap before us. Neatly done, in 

 truth ! Now away down the slope towards yonder 

 trees. That is the wood I spoke of, and the road we 



