LIVERPOOL 8i 



cleared by all the horses ; but the next obstacle, a deep 

 ditch about five feet wide, with a high bank on the far 

 side, required more care and was successfully jumped, 

 when the competitors found themselves labouring in a 

 deep wheat field. On clearing the next bank Conrad 

 was still in front, with Daxon, Lottery, True Blue, 

 Dictator, and Paulina in a line behind him. 



The next field in which the competitors found them- 

 selves had recently been deeply turned by the plough, 

 and making their way over the heavy land was hardly 

 the best preparation for jumping out of it over a strong 

 paling or rail, next to which came a hedge, and beyond 

 the two was a brook, about six feet wide. Conrad, who 

 seems to have held the lead from the start, crashed 

 through the timber and went neck and heels into the 

 water. Captain Becher lay quiet as Lottery and two or 

 three more, jumping at the same place, let the Captain 

 feel the wind of their heels. When all danger was past 

 Captain Becher crept out, reniounted, and went on in 

 pursuit of the others ; but he left behind his name, for 

 " Becher's Brook " this obstacle was called for ever after. 

 After traversing some more grass and plough the horses 

 came into what appears to have been good going. " After 

 clearing the hedge," wrote an eyewitness, " it was 

 necessary immediately to turn short round to the left. 

 At a distance of not more than twenty yards was a high 

 hedge, bank, and rails, on the other side of which was a 

 piece of water, let in for the purpose, fully fifteen feet wide, 

 the field adjoining which is something lower than that 

 from which the leap had to be taken, and here Captain 

 Becher was first as he had been at ' Becher's Brook ' ; 

 but a second time did Conrad chance his timber, and 

 bursting his way through it, again landed himself in the 

 water. Rust came down, but Lottery, Daxon, and 

 several others jumped it without making the slightest 

 mistake." Presently the horses reached what was pro- 



