HEROES OF THE HUNTING-FIELD 139 



also persons who would seem to be disabled from 

 riding. Of the latter class, ' Nimrod ' says : 



' What credit can be given to a long-legged gentle- 

 man on a two-hundred-guinea mare, if I produce 

 another gentleman who rode nearly as hard, with 

 only one leg, and on very queer cattle ? Had I words 

 and images at my command, I might awaken the 

 sympathy of all sportsmen for the fate of a man who 

 could follow hounds, having only one leg, a disabled 

 shoulder, and who was obliged to let go his bridle 

 when he leaped a fence to hold on by the saddle, 

 being deprived of the natural clip from the thighs. 

 But what will not a British seaman do ? and such 

 was Captain Pell, whom I saw with the Oakley 

 hounds when I visited Lord Lynedoch. It appeared 

 he hunted every day on which he could reach hounds, 

 and I saw him take many good fences.' 



A man who rides to hounds should possess a 

 cheerful temper as well as skill in horsemanship. 

 He should not be annoyed if a man, apparently not 

 so well mounted as himself, rides in front of him, 

 and at the same time he should be careful not to 

 give annoyance to others. However, people do lose 

 their tempers sometimes. 



' I once had the misfortune to displease a first- 

 rate performer on horseback by getting a good start 

 with the hounds, which he did not. He came 

 rattling after us at a tremendous pace to recover his 

 place, as he considered it, as first man, and as we 



