104 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 



over this awkward stell — Billy Williamson, I 

 believe, being the first to charge it. It was deep 

 and rotten, and the change that was effected in 

 the colour of the ci-devant white cords of those 

 gentlemen who dropped short of it, plainly 

 showed what sort of a bottom it had. 



'' Two things were now evident : I was quite 

 sure they were in for a run, and I was quite sure 

 I should see nothing of it unless let in by some 

 lucky turn. I did not, however, quit my pilot ; 

 but, strange to say, I rode for exactly one hour 

 about fifty yards behind him, without ever 

 hearing the tongue of a hound until within the 

 last ten minutes. When we did get up to them, 

 the thing was over, the whoo-hoop was only 

 wanting. They had not tasted him, but he was 

 dead beat, and in a few minutes more Matty 

 had him by the brush. It must have been a 

 beautiful run for those who saw it. The pace 

 was excellent ; and the country very good indeed 

 for the provincials. 



'' I had two reasons why I did not regret thiSj 

 wrong turn at first starting. First, I and my 

 horse might have been planted in the stell ; and' 

 secondly, it was a great treat to me to see Matty 

 Wilkinson and his chestnut horse get over, or I 

 should rather say creep over, upwards of a hundred 

 fences in the very masterly manner they both 

 performed. He has ridden this horse three 

 seasons without having had a fall from him ;i 

 and when I saw him creeping over his fences, 

 which appeared nothing to him, whilst my 



