COLLIN S LEA I 



257 



however, to custom, the one we were in pursuit of never dwelt an instant, 

 but went straight through. Mr. Chaffey ColHn seemed to divine this, for 

 he had a clear lead of every one as he rode hard for the right-hand corner of 

 the field that skirts Man Wood, and as he jumped in and out of the lane he 

 was near enough to hounds to know that there was no time to be lost as 

 they raced on for the open again. 



Those who kept nearest to the leader, including Mr. George Sewell, 

 were in time to see him in the grass field with hounds flying towards White 

 Roothing. Very few, however, were near enough to relate how Mr. Collin 

 jumped what has hitherto been looked upon as an impossible place, and 

 which brought Jack, who was riding " Catapult," the only other one who 



C. Chaffey Collin 



attempted it, to grief. I know by the time the majority of us, who were on 

 the right, emerged from Man Wood that we were at least in tiine to see 

 some turning back towards Man Wood, evidently to avoid what will hence- 

 forth be known as " Collin's leapf and others returning down the meadow 

 seeking for a convenient place in another very unnegotiable fence. Personally 

 I was too far behind to see hounds, until the huntsman pointed them out on 

 the sky-line near White Roothing, and said, " Yo-onder they go, and only 

 Mr. Collin with them." 



There was nothing for it but a hard, stern chase, in the hope of catching 

 hounds. Passing close to White Roothing village, they turned slightly to 

 the left and ran up to Cammas Hall, which lies on the right of Row Wood, 

 and here, at least, the right-hand contingent got up to them, the man in the 

 grey coat coming to the front again, being in such a hurry to do it that he 

 cut in at a half-open gate, caught it with his knee, closed it on his horse, 

 and came a rare buster. His horse getting away, he was not seen again. 

 In the meantime those on the left who followed the Master— who, by-the- 



