LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi 



PAGE 



HEAD AND TAIL PIECES 



Drawn by HENRY ALKEN and Others 



A Steeplechase. Drawn by Henry Alken — 



I. The Start. — Off they go with White for choice ... 3 

 II. Getting over an old blind roadway — and doing it well. — Even 



betting ... 17 



III. A slap at a stone enclosure. — Five to four on White . . 73 



IV. Crossing a deep ravine dangerous to pass. — With six to two 



on White . . . . . . . . . -137 



V. Covering a strong bullock-fence ; down for a hundred with- 

 out any odds on White 197 



VI. The Winner 249 



" And to such wondrous doing brought his horse." — HAMLET. 



A Steeplechase— 



I. The Start .......... 13 



II. The Finish 70 



The First Steeplechase on Record. Drawn by Henry Alken. 



I. Ipswich : The Watering-place behind the Barracks. Preparing 

 to start. — All sorts of odds : the Grey for choice. 



" In the centre stood the Grey Champion, ridden by the chal- 

 lenger, armed ' cap-a-pie ' in strict accordance with the prescribed 

 array of ' night-shirt, overall ' — his servant taking up another link 

 in the curb-chain — ^whilst the Major, standing beside his black 

 Old Trooper, returned him full rations of his raillery. Lieutenant 

 Lounger's nag appeared to be gazing in wonder at the many 

 shadows thrown by the grass-blades waving in the moonlight ; 

 and in an opposite direction, the white top-knot of young 

 Subden's nightcap might just be seen peeping above his 

 saddle-bow, as with one foot already in the stirrup he stood 

 prepared to mount" 134 



II. The large field near Biles's Corner. Whoop! and away! 

 — The Major in trouble. — Subden's linen suffers. 



" Subden was here the first over the fence, a sturdy wattle, with 

 a double fosse ; but his lot was not cast with a 'white' bean, for 

 horse and vider turned a somersault together, and rolled incon- 



