REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 49 



Harrow Vale, and cutting everybody else down. 

 Mr. Peyton was also very good. The late Mr. 

 William Locke ; Colonel Kingscote, as a heavy 

 weight ; and, though last not least, the late Lord 

 Alvanley, also among the heavy weights, would not 

 be denied. Mr. George Hawkins, on the most extra- 

 ordinary mare to carry weight I ever saw, could 

 always hold his own. Lord Cardigan was equal to 

 any one. Colonel Greenwood, of the Life Guards, 

 one of the finest horsemen I ever saw in my life, 

 would at any time go into any water, horse and all, 

 when the deer was in danger, and from the midst of 

 the plunging and furious pack put his whip round 

 the deer's horns, and guide him to the shore. I 

 have seen hounds, when horse and all have been 

 swimming, mount for an instant the withers as well 

 as the croup of his horse, and in their blind eager- 

 ness, midst the noise and spray, catch at his horse's 

 mane in mistake for the deer ; yet in the midst of it 

 all, the light and steady hand never checked the 

 horse in his stroke, nor did I ever see the one or 

 the other in danger. The awkwardest accident that 

 ever befell him was Avhen the stag and hounds were 

 in the Paddington Canal. Colonel Greenwood was 

 desirous of heading them, and, in riding under the 

 bridge on the towing path, the horse shied at the 

 stag, and, in an endeavour to turn round, slipped 

 his hinder legs from under him, and fell completely 

 backwards into the water on his rider. Both dis- 

 appeared for an instant, and rose on different sides 

 of the bridge, when in a few moments more they were 

 together again, and saving the deer as if nothing 

 had happened. I saw mine worthy host of an inn 

 at Twickenham, " ^Ir. Tapps," ride up to the hounds 



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