COLONIAL HORSEMEN. 89 



my head and shoulders to the front, the better to 

 obtain the balance I desire. 



Thus I ride when the pace is sharp and the ground 

 is rough. It may be said that I am not asked to 

 teach riding ; but there are such a lot of duffers in 

 this world who think they can ride, that I cannot help 

 stepping out of my province to give them a lesson. 

 Colonel Dodge, of the United States service, depre- 

 cates English horsemen. For my own part, I think 

 he is right, and never do you see this more fully 

 proved than when you note one of our countrymen 

 for the first time outside of a foreign horse in an 

 unknown land. 



On a well-bred and well-broken horse to ride 

 with hounds in Leicestershire is the easiest matter 

 in the world, provided the equestrian retains his 

 head ; to ride well in our cramped counties with 

 the foremost flight is a more difficult thing to do ; 

 but to take an untried horse and make the most 

 out of him over a South African country requires 

 the rider to be a man of iron nerves, great judgment, 

 excellent hands, and a seat very much composed 

 of shoemaker's wax. 



Our colonists, in the country I am writing of, 



