66 THE TURF 



ful, that it suddenly made him outrageous. 

 He started from the rank in which he was 

 walking, tried to unseat me, endeavoured 

 to set off at full speed, and when he found 

 he could not master me so as to get head, 

 began to rear, snorting most violently, threw 

 out behind, plunged, and used every mis- 

 chievous exertion of which the muscular 

 powers of a blood-horse are capable. I, 

 who felt the uneasiness he suffered before 

 his violence began, being luckily prepared, 

 sat firm and as steady and upright as if 

 this had been his usual exercise. John 

 Watson was riding beside his horses, and a 

 groom, I believe it was old Cheevers, broke 

 out into an exclamation, "By G d, John, 

 that's a fine lad!" "Ay, ay," replied 

 Watson, highly satisfied, "you will find 

 some time or other there are few in New- 

 market that will match him." It will not 

 be amiss here to remark, that boys with 

 straight legs, small calves, and knees that 

 project but little, seldom become excellent 

 riders. I, on the other hand, was somewhat 

 bow-legged; I had then the custom of 

 turning in my toes, and my knees were 

 protuberant. I soon learned that the safe 



