THE EPPING HUNT, EASTER MONDAY, 185O 38 1 



with occupants, and other vehicles of every description — 

 music playing, flags flying, and all the concomitants of a 

 racino- rather than a huntino; scene. Colvin, Robert Helme, 

 the Jessopps, Davis's and others, were there, and seemed 

 mightily amused to see me. 



The turn-out of the Cockney sportsmen disappointed me, 

 being mostly seedy dark coats and trousers, there being only 

 one hero in pink of regular Cockney features and cut, but 

 mounted on a chestnut horse by no means to be despised, and 

 who honoured me by selecting me as his guide up to the first 

 check, after which I saw him not until the finish. 



At about a quarter past two, up came the cart containing 

 the stag with three men on the roof with horns playing "Old 

 Towler " with gusto, until a sudden jolt silenced the melody 

 of one of the nightingales, by sending him, horn and all, 

 toppling off on to the wheel and thence amongst the crowd, 

 another of the trio only just escaping a similar fate. 



The capping process having been generally accomplished 

 and the doors of the cart being opened, out jumped the stag, 

 his remnants of horns decorated with gaudily coloured ribands ; 

 he had to turn down a perfect lane of people on either side, 

 holloaing and whooping like mad. At length the poor brute 

 escaped from the crowd and took to the Forest, and the hounds 

 (five couple belonging to Rounding, the landlord of the 

 '' Roebuck," or to his brother, who, in pink and a cap, and on a 

 grey horse, officiated as huntsman) being laid on, or rather taken 

 on, to the line just clear of the crowd, took up the scent very 

 well, and with good music ran prettily through the Forest, 

 which was generally very fair galloping, soft in parts but not 

 very boggy, going in the direction of High Beech. 



The running in the Forest lasted, I should think, about 

 twenty-five minutes, and the scene was most amusing. There 

 being no fences, every one of the 500 equestrians would ride 

 boldly and fearlessly, undaunted by stubs, grips or from 

 tumbling off, each one yelling or screaming as if his life 

 depended on the noise he made, and uttering a cry constantly 

 which puzzled me for some time, but afterwards saw its 

 meaning, viz., "Up ! up ! ! up ! ! ! " addressed to their 

 steeds, at each little grip or unevenness in the ground they 

 came to. I kept about a medium place to enjoy the fun, and 

 supposing they would keep in the Forest, both "Chancellor" 

 and " Trap " pulling hard, and not a little excited by the noise, 

 confusion, shouting of riders and galloping of steeds. But on 

 coming to the edge of the Forest, I found that by good luck 



