132 ON THE GRAMPIAN HILLS. 



once lost sight of them there was no chance of getting 

 to them again, consequently the ' ' field " was scattered, 

 many being thrown out long before the end of the 

 run. Certainly this was an unparalleled day's sport. 

 At one time the gale blew so hard and the hailstones 

 fell so thick and sharp that my young horse stopped 

 dead, until I persuaded him to persevere, though for a 

 few minutes rather unwillingly. Evidently his nerves 

 were affected, for when put in the stable he was looking- 

 about in an excited way instead of eating his corn. 

 I believe horses to be very nervous animals, and that 

 often they do things through fear that lead to their 

 being treated as vicious creatures, instead of being 

 kindly encouraged and gently used. Certainly hunt- 

 ing in a hurricane is calculated to make one rather 

 nervous, as riding amidst the fallen branches, listening 

 to the roar of the wind, the cracking of the timber, 

 finding your path stopped by a huge trunk, expecting 

 every minute that a big branch might possibly fall on 

 as well as before you, is not calculated to inspire con- 

 fidence in either man or beast. However, I had at 

 any rate a good gallop on a good horse, and should 

 not be deterred on another occasion from having a 

 day's forest hunting, however angry and unpleasant 

 the weather might be ; as, after my experience of this 

 notable gale, I .cannot imagine that anything could 

 possibly be worse than that which I experienced on 

 this occasion. Fortunately such terrific storms are not 

 frequent, or our stock of fine timber would be greatly 

 reduced, for I dare not venture to state the number of 

 large trees I saw blown down or greatly damaged 

 throughout the whole extent both of Windsor Forest 

 and Park. 



