Dick Christian's Lecture. 357 



snaffle, and Becher just niggling at him a bit. I rode 

 r against him and Becher at Dunchurch, and gave them 

 'such a tying up. Lord Waterford and Lord Mac- 

 donald were in that race. I was on Warwick, one of 

 Sir Edward Mostyn's horses. They laid twenty to 

 one against me. He was a little horse, very hot ; my 

 eyes, such a jumper ! I didn't keep long with them, 

 but took a line by myself. Vyvian got first round to 

 the flag, and then the Marquis, and then I. The 

 Marquis was going wide, and shouts I, " My lord, 

 where are you going to ?" I slipped right up to 

 Vyvian, and hang me if I'd leave him ; didn't Becher 

 just go on at me ! Every fence it was, " Dick, you'll 

 be on the top of me ; pray Dick, do keep off." That 

 was it all the way back ; I wouldn't have it ; I says, 

 " This is my line, and here I'll stick ;" and I did too. 

 I'd got my horse as fast as wax, and I thought win I 

 must. We were in the air together over the last 

 fence ; then Becher he sets at his horse, and he just 

 shoves his head afore me. " Now," I says, " I'll see 

 what I've got," and blame me if my horse didn't stop 

 dead as if he was shot. I called to them to turn 

 his head to the wind, or he would be down ; I 

 never got him past the post; he went back'ards, 

 he was so beat ; he never got above two miles 

 before or since that day; he was a bad-hearted one, 

 but very brilliant ; that's as nice a ride as ever I 

 had ; how he did jump, to be sure ! When Becher 

 got back to the weighing tent, he spoke up, 

 " Gentlemen, if I had Christian's nerve, I'd give all 

 I have in the world." 



I've had lots of accidents, I've had my shoulder 

 out, this here leg broke, and two of my ribs ; I never 

 broke my collar bone, I am so precious thick set 

 there, they can't get at it. Horses, bless you ! I've 

 known 'em get out of a ditch, and put their fore-feet 

 on each of my shoulders ; my coat's been all split up 

 by them. I broke two ribs from a dog-cart when I 



