192 HARRIEES. 



at full-speed, the lookers-on, the young ladies on ponies, 

 and old gentlemen on cobs, see the most of the sport 

 in such a country as the Brighton Downs ; while in a flat 

 inclosed, or wooded country, those who do not ride are 

 left alone quite deserted, five minutes after the hounds 

 get well away. 



We killed tw^o more hares before retiring for the day, 

 but as they ran rings in the approved style, continually 

 coming back to the slow, prudent, and constitutional 

 riders, there was nothing to distinguish them from all 

 other hare-hunts. After killing the last hare there was 

 ample time to get back to Brighton, take a warm bath, 

 dress, and stroll on the Esplanade for an hour in the 

 midst of as gay and brilliant crowd, vehicular, eques- 

 trian, and pedestrian, as can be found in Europe, before 

 sitting down to a quiet dinner, in w^iich the delicious 

 Southdown haunch was not forgotten. So ended a day 

 of glorious w^eather and pleasant sport, jolly — if not in 

 the highest degree genteel. 



Tempted to stay another day, I went the next morn- 

 ing six miles through Eottingdean to Telscombe Tye, 

 to meet the Brookside ; and, after seeing them, have no 

 hesitation in saying that every one who cares to look at a 

 first-rate pack of harriers would find it worth his while 

 to travel a hundred miles to meet the Brookside, for the 

 w^hole turnout is perfection. Eoyalty cannot excel it. 



A delicious ride over turf all the way, after passing 

 Rottingdean, under a blue sky and a June-like sun, in 

 sight of the sea, calm as a lake, brought us to the top of 

 a hill of rich close turf, enveloped in a cloud of mist, 

 which rendered horses and horsemen alike invisible at 

 the distance of a few yards ; and when we came upon 

 three tall shepherds, leaning on their iron-hcoked crooks, 

 in the midst of a gorse covert, it was almost impossible 



