NIM ROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 121 



There was but one drawback to this splendid run, besides the 

 fact of its being too fast for the general enjoyment of the field, 

 for it is but few who can enjoy a run at such a pace as this 

 eleven miles in just forty minutes ! But the drawback ! Why 

 the last view I had of the hounds was, as they were ascending 

 a steep bank, on which I was able to distinguish the three chest- 

 nuts and the grey. There must be a ravine, thought I within 

 myself; how shall I get across that, for my horse is dead blown 

 at present ? We had then been going about twenty minutes. 

 " A river," exclaimed one of the field, who had dropped astern 

 like myself. And he might have said more than this. We 

 were on classic ground, and he might have sung with the 

 poet 



" Meandering Till's impetuous flow 

 Runs wildly in the vale below." 



It was the Till, if not the most rapid, the most treacherous river 

 in all Scotland I believe I may also say in England, as we were 

 at this time in England and in which Mr. Sitwell of Barmoor 

 Castle (author of the Letters of Nim North), so nearly lost his 

 life. However, as the hounds crossed it, of course the most of 

 the field crossed it, and without any disaster. But my attempt 

 was an unfortunate one, by coming down upon it in a treacherous 

 place, which, with a horse dead blown, was very far from a joke. 

 I had not proceeded many yards, about belly deep, and with a 

 very strong current, before my horse dropped overhead and ears 

 into a hole, but quickly struggled out of it. He then fell on his 

 head over a huge stone, but we did not part company, In 

 another ten yards, over head and ears he went again, but still we 

 stuck to each other, " like a lover to his bride," as Saddell says 

 in his song, and at last reached the bank. Captain Grant of the 

 Ninth Lancers, who was likewise on one of " the royal stud," a 

 thoroughbred one too, but so blown, that, like my own, he could 

 scarcely scramble over a gap, was close behind me at the time, 

 but, supposing that I was gone salmon fishing, looked for a safer 

 place and made his way across the stream. 



But what situation was I in when I found myself on terra, 

 firma ? By the time I had ascended the steep bank, and steep 

 indeed it was, my horse could scarcely stand, although I led him 

 up it in my hanH. I espied a hard road in the direction the 

 hounds had taken ; I thought I might bring him round a bit 

 upon that ; but alas ! I had left a fore-shoe in the Till, and the 

 road was newly stoned. I then turned into the enclosures, and 

 following as well as I could in their wake, in company with 



