260 The Hunting Field With Horse and Hound 



knew, Tipperary was taking the last stride that would land her 

 into a bog. O lord and Tipperary, the Captain's favourite 

 horse and — "Whatever you do," he said, "For Heaven's sake 

 keep out of the bog. You will never touch bottom until you 

 land in China." 



Whatever would happen? What a flood of things go 

 through the mind, visions of sinking, sinking, that horrible 

 death, or at best being pulled out by ropes and tackle, while 

 you listen to all the uncomplimentary remarks of the natives 

 concerning the tenderfoot's dilemma. And the Captain — it 

 seemed as if it would be easier to sink at once and die rather 

 than to see him looking on such a scene from the bank. For- 

 tunately, the bog was only about ten or twelve feet across. 

 Hope that came like a straw to a drowning man, said "The 

 footing might hold." But it was not to be. Tipperary saw 

 what was coming, and braced herself for the plunge. Into it 

 she went leg deep and stopped. When Tipperary went down, 

 the awful consequences of such a death-trap swept the writer's 

 brain clear of thoughts. Instinct and self-preservation were 

 alone in command. The writer takes no credit to himself for 

 the actions that directed his course. There was no time to 

 think, self-preservation did it all. As the noble beast settled in 

 the black trap the writer threw himself headlong forward, so 

 as to land sprawling on all fours, rather than on his feet, and 

 well to the right of the struggling mount, as the best possible 

 position to avoid sinking himself. In this position he wriggled 

 and scrambled along to the opposite bank (rather to solid 

 ground, for this bog hole was all on the level) , keeping as much 

 of his body touching the surface as possible. Tipperary, leg 

 deep in the awful trap, was floundering after. 



By tugging at the bridle the writer was able to help Tip- 

 perary a little. His companion, with his hunting crop hooked 

 into the breast strap, also helped. Finally, with a most desper- 

 ate effort Tipperary gained solid footing for her fore feet and 



