1839] CHARTLEY. 139 



looking obstacle, if tliey come in the way, but Mr. Power 

 proved they were jumpable one day. The horse was only 

 a four-year-old, but the pace was good, and he was going 

 just to his rider's liking. Thus a bold heart in both man 

 and horse, and active limbs, carried the pair over in safety, 

 and put a hundred and fifty pounds into the owner's 

 pocket that same evening over the dinner- table. Sir 

 Peter Walker being the purchaser. 



To resume, however, the thread of our story, it is 

 necessary to go back to the years 1839-40. The principal 

 event of 1839 was the death of old Tom Leedham on 

 September 7th, and he was laid to rest in Yoxall church- 

 yard at the ripe age of seventy-three. He had been out 

 with the hounds the year before on a grey pony, and may 

 possibly have seen Abelard, by Lord Yarborough's Finder 

 out of Adelaide, giving some proof of his future excellence 

 in the Brakenhurst that same year, for they began cub- 

 hunting early. Had he lived a little longer he would 

 have heard some grumbling about his son, Joe, who 

 probably did not have the best of luck this season. 



On March 24th, a complimentary dinner was given to 

 Mr. Meynell, by the gentlemen who hunted in the country, 

 at the King's Head, Derby, in recognition of the end of 

 his twenty-fifth season. About sixty sat down to dinner. 

 E. S. Chandos-Pole was in the chair, while Mr. Calvert of 

 Hound Hill acted as vice-chairman. 



In the season 1839-40, frost interfered to a great 

 extent with hunting, and, so far as can be gathered from 

 all available sources, sport was only moderate. 



On March 9th, however, they met at Black Slough 

 and had a memorable day, only marred by a serious 

 accident. It is thus described: "A fox was soon found, 

 and immediately went away at a slapping pace for the 

 Quartz wood, and, skirting by Lopland's farm, passed over 

 the Tacton Brook, which is at present swollen by floods. 

 Here, on the grounds of the Ixev. Mr. Colman, Mr. John 

 Harding, as gallant a sportsman as ever followed hounds, 

 was dangerously hurt l)y his horse catching his hind legs 



