374 KEMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



my horror, disappeared, as he could not swim, over 

 the liorse's taih All this time — for the struggle be- 

 tween horse and man lasted for a minute or two — 

 liis old father flung off his coat, waistcoat, and hat, 

 and put them on again, as if he were practising how 

 fast he could undress and dress himself, without stir- 

 ring a step to help his son. There was an old punt, 

 half-full of water, however, at the bank, and in this 

 my brother Moreton pushed off, and saved the poor 

 fellow's life : the horse, the moment his rider was quit 

 of him, swam ashore, and landed with the utmost ease. 

 The only awful event 1 ever witnessed out hunting 

 was during a run from Shelton Gorse. Yle had found, 

 and were going beautifully away towards Stanwick 

 Pastures, in Lord Fitzwilliam's country, the hounds 

 settling to the scent, and carrying a good head, 

 everything looking fair and well. I was in the middle 

 of the Gorse when they went away, on Captain, one 

 of the horses I bought of Sir George Seymour, conse- 

 quently the field had rather the start of me ; but as 

 he was a splendid horse through dirt, and just at 

 first the hounds had to feel their way, I was coming 

 up with the leading men hand over hand. Just as I 

 gained a good place to " cheer 'em on," and see that 

 the hounds were getting it by degrees all their own 

 way, I cried out to Mr. RadclifFe, the brother of 

 Mr. Delme RadclifFe, who was leading, " Hurra, my 

 boy ! hold your own ; if the scent but holds, we shall 

 soon drop into our places." I had not uttered this a 

 moment, when, as we neared a small fence, or young 

 quick, over which we had to go, I just took my eyes 

 from Mr. Radcliffe, then on my right, to look at the 

 fence, and as I did so I was aware, as I thought, of a 

 stumble on the part of his horse ; but as in the commence- 



