CHASSEUR "]"] 



only colt his dam ever threw, he turned out a clipper, and when 

 six years old the late Mr. J. Walmsley purchased him on the 

 recommendation of Mr. G. H. Harris, V.S., who had to remain 

 in the room while Mr, Walmsley wrote the cheque for ^loo, 

 as he declared that he should chano^e his mind if he didn't, 

 for he doubted if he could ride him. Three weeks after- 

 wards he would not have sold him for ^300. " Harlequin " 

 proved to be a most brilliant hunter and won the followin^^ 

 hunt chases : — ^ Essex Light Weight Cup, 1889, and the Welter 

 Cup on the same day ; the Open Hunters' Steeplechase Plate 

 in 1890 and the Rundells Hunt Cup at the same meeting, 

 being ridden on each occasion by Mr. Alfred Kemp. Curiously 

 enough, on the first occasion " Harlequin " made his appear- 

 ance on the Rundells Race Course in 1888 he was beaten 

 by Mr. Alfred Kemp's horse " Kingston," steered by his 

 owner ; what would have happened if " Harlequin " hadn't 

 fallen, breaking Bailey's leg, 'tis hard to say, for "Kingston" 

 finished in front of Sir Henry's " Misunderstood," who ran 

 third to "Harlequin" the next year. Alas, that dear old 

 Jimmy Walmsley was not spared to repeat his triumphs with 

 this famous horse ! On his owner's death he was purchased 

 by the late Bob Chapman for ^400 on the very day that Mr. 

 Harris was commissioned by me to give ^350 for him for a 

 friend in the Shires. He was subsequently sold for ^800 to 

 a soldier. 



Mr. Jones [see p. 74) would rather have been photographed 

 on "Chasseur," the horse that would have faced a hedge on fire, 

 and that the Essex Bard immortalised in the lines : — 

 " But hark ! the cry is ' Forrard,' 



And with hat cocked aside, 

 See Jones pick out the biggest fence, 



And take it in his stride ; 

 Thinks he, ' Those craning duffers 



Will keep us here all day ; 

 Will no one dare to follow 



When " Chasseur " shows the way ?' " 



The run from the Osiers, Roxwell, on Saturday, December 2gth, was 

 written out at some length in my diary notes, with the intention, which 

 was not carried out, of sending it to The Field. "Talk about the drip 

 on the hedgerows and no scent, you should have seen hounds run last 

 Saturday, when they met at the Hare and Hounds, Roxwell ; a big 

 gathering, but all who meant to be there had not arrived by the time 

 hounds moved off at ten minutes past eleven, to draw the first covert. By 

 the leisurely way the field approached it, they did not appear very sanguine 

 of finding, but they had made a mistake. The Osiers, be it known, is a 

 very small strip of covert commanded at one end by the high road, 

 conveniently bridging the brook which bounds it on the south side, and on 



