SUSSEX 69 



alone was in fault. We had a good fox, and a good pack of hounds 

 behind him, but a country that marred both ; for, in consequence 

 of there being no room between the coverts, the one ran short, and 

 the others were never out of difficulties. This enabled our fox to 

 stand a tw^o hours' run, and to save his life at last ; whereas, had it 

 been a good grass country, they would have tasted him in half the 

 time. If we had found where we first met in the morning, we should 

 have had a much better chance of sport. 



Whether it was a judgment on me for laughing at others I know 

 not, but in the course of this run I got one of the worst falls I ever 

 had in my life at a (jap. The mare I w^as riding fell with me as if 

 she had been shot, and then struck me in three places on the head 

 and face. Having once ruptured the temporal artery by an accident, 

 I thought I had done so again from the quantity of blood that flowed ; 

 but this did not prove to be the case. A farmer remained with me 

 till the bleeding abated, and then, from his knowledge of the country, 

 and having a short running fox, I got in a line with them in a turn- 

 pike road, just in time to see the hounds going their very best pace 

 over some meadows, which confirmed the opinion I had before 

 formed as to the fate of their fox, had grass, instead of plough and 

 woodlands, been the order of the day. He was also, I understand, 

 indebted for his life, towards the finish, to all being pounded in some 

 gentleman's park, having been viewed but a short time before. 



Not being able to ride off a trot, I can give but a lame account of 

 this run from the time I got my fall. I thought Colonel Wyndham 

 rode very well to his hounds, and his cheering halloo to them in 

 chase would make an old man's heart feel glad. There was a Major 

 Keen, of the 7th Hussars, on a very clever horse, and I saw him 

 much inclined to get forward. This was, however, that kind of a 

 run in which no man could distinguish himself, owing to the short 

 and frequent turns. I had noticed the Major's horse on the first day 

 I was out with these hounds, and I have since heard that he is of 

 Irish blood. He is exactly the horse for Leicestershire. 



I cannot conclude my observations on this day without expressing 

 my gratitude to the farmer who assisted me in my misfortunes ; 

 neither can I forget the pressing invitation Mr. Burrell gave me to 

 West Grinstead Park. I was, however, no figure for a drawing- 



