Captain Iboratio ffioss 249 



people) that I was ready then and there to start 

 against anyone present to go to London on foot 

 against him for $oo t or to shoot the same match 

 next day against anyone for 500. I excepted Mr. 

 Osbaldeston, not wishing to have any match of the sort 

 with him he was to a great degree crippled by his 

 leg being broken when hunting, and he could not have 

 gone the pace with me ; and I did not like to hurt his 

 pride by challenging him also ; and so from kindly 

 feeling towards him I barred him. No one took 

 advantage of my somewhat rash challenge, for it 

 might have so happened that a regular professional 

 pedestrian was in the crowd. Some young farmer 

 said that he would try a race against me to the inn 

 (perhaps two miles or two and a half distant). I 

 entered into the fun, and said, ' With all my heart 

 my good fellow.' Many of them were on horseback 

 and had on top-boots ; they doffed their boots and 

 ran in their stockings. We made a fair start, all in 

 the best humour ; but I do not think anyone was 

 in sight when I reached the inn. 1 certainly went the 

 distance at the rate of eight or nine miles an hour. 



I do not remember the number of birds killed, but 

 I know it was absurdly small I think only twenty-five 

 or twenty-six brace. This must appear very unaccount- 

 able, but it is easily explained. At that season of the 

 year (November) the partridges in Norfolk and Suffolk 

 are always very wild ; but on the day of the great match 

 they had additional reason for being so : we were 

 followed by a multitude of men on horseback say, two 

 or three hundred all talking and betting on the shot. 



