LIFE OF MYTTON. 151 



self. In some of these frolics, however, he ascer- 

 tained the good properties of his horses, which, per- 

 haps, he would not otherwise have been acquainted 

 with. For example, at the end of a capital run, in^ 

 Shropshire, his whipper-in rode a horse called Oliver,, 

 over a brook which ]\Iytton"s own horse refused. 

 " Stop ! " said he to him ; " it is fit that the master' 

 should ride the best horse ; " and from that day tilli 

 the horse became blind, which was not for several! 

 seasons afterwards, no person but himself rode Oliver 

 with hounds. 



Frolics of all sorts delighted him. On one occa- 

 sion a thought struck him that a good race might be 

 made between waofcron-horses ; and seeingf four of his 

 own at the moment, he ordered all their gearing, 

 except their bridles, to be taken off. He then 

 mounted one of them, and persuaded three of his 

 friends to jockey the others, and away they went! By 

 a preconcerted plan, however, Mytton placed the wag- 

 goner at a spot where the ground was somewhat on 

 the descent, with orders to cry out " Who-Jio ! " at a 

 signal to be given by himself. The word was given 

 accordingly, when the horses, knowing the voice, and 

 glad to obey the word, stopped so suddenly as to 

 occasion two of his three friends, who rode on the 



