THE WEST ESSEX YEOMANRY 371 



was accomplished in forty minutes by the leading two couple 

 of hounds, they with old " Carlow " running- up to the drag- 

 just as it entered the last meadow. I had no notion that 

 " Beagles " could run a drag so well, or could go the pace and 

 distance. It is true that only two couple (led by Tattler) ran 

 fairly up to the finish, the rest tailing off from the unusual 

 severity of the run. Altogether I enjoyed the gallop, and the 

 drag was by no means a bad wind-up (to me) of an unlucky 

 and unsatisfactory season. 



Since the dislocation of my shoulder, I have had only one 

 fall, which was with "Carlow," in the good day with Marriott, 

 and, as a matter of fact, came right on to the game shoulder ; 

 but I had my shoulder brace on, and the cause of the fall 

 prevented its hurting me — very soft ground on alighting — from 

 a jump newly trenched, so that the horse sank up to his shoulder 

 and rolled over with and nearly upon me." 



(After running "Cognac" in the Craven Handicap at the 

 Coventry steeplechases on March 13th, when Lord Chester- 

 field's horse " The Victim" turned up the winner, and 

 " Cognac " ridden by Benbow fell, Mr. Vickerman makes the 

 following note in his journal) : — I returned to town that same 

 evening voting steeplechasing a bore and loss of time, except 

 to an idle man who had time for this as well as hunting and 

 other amusements. To be a spectator merely is tantalizing 

 to one fond of riding, and I should feel with Lord Strathmore, 

 that to care much for this kind of sport, it was requisite to 

 combine with it the riding of one's own horse. 



1849. At the suggestion of Clifton, Jessopp, &c., and in 

 accordance with my own inclination, I joined the West Essex 

 Yeomanry this season, receiving from Capt. Palmer the only 

 vacant appointment — that of asst. quarter-master. Smith and 

 Co., of Piccadilly, provided my outfit, and Kidd supplied the 

 horse gear and trappings. " Rocket " was my charger, and 

 beautiful he looked, exciting universal admiration, there being 

 no handsomer horse in the troop ; but excited and fidgetty 

 with the novelty of the scenes and requiring some riding. 

 Mustered at Epping on Monday, June nth, and marched to 

 our quarters for this year at Waltham Abbey. I was quartered 

 in the old barracks until I procured a room at the " Cock," 

 Corporal Algers. 



Tuesday. A ball at Waltham Cross "New Lm ; " met 

 Ken wards. 



W^ednesday and Thursday in town on leave of absence. 



P>iday, the 15th, had a capital and merry dinner at 

 Jessopp's, and afterwards to a ball at Christie's, of Hoddesdon. 



