LIFE OF MYTTON. i6j 



With the same hounds, he signalised himself 

 greatly in a run from Bomer Wood to Haughmond 

 Hill, when the river Severn brought the field to check. 

 Three or four of them managed to get their horses 

 into a boat, but Mytton scorned such assistance. 

 " Let all who call themselves sportsmen," he ex- 

 claimed, " follow me ! " and, dashing into the stream, 

 gained the opposite bank, and was one of the very few 

 who saw the fox killed. It must again be observed 

 that Mytton was no swimmer, and the Severn is broad 

 and deep, and the banks none of the best Still he 

 did not always disdain the aid of a boat, and on his 

 own hounds once crossing the Severn at Ouatford 

 the Squire jumped into the boat alone, and quickly 

 shoving her off landed on the oiDposite side and sent 

 her adrift ! The rest of the field had to go round by 

 Bridgnorth. Then, he fell into one of the deepest 

 parts of the same river out of a ferry-boat when 

 luckily not alone, as he was saved by his companion 

 catching him by one of his legs, as he was just being 

 sucked under the boat. 



On another occasion he nearly lost his life in the 

 Severn, also in a run with his own hounds, near Bridg- 

 north. All the field but himself crossed it by a horse 

 ferry-boat, but he gallantly plunged into it, notwith- 



