LETTER XIX. 209 



horse." " Lay an emphasis on the e, and you are right ; 

 but how came you with a vale horse on the downs ?" 



Keeping my eye forward on the hounds, for ride to 

 them I could not, I saw the leading hounds turn the fox 

 on the summit of the hill, as far as I could see, a good 

 mile or two in advance, and I got up in order about 

 No. 12. My young friend on the thorough-bred was 

 before me, but he had completely beaten his poor mare, 

 which never came out again. The two first up were 

 light weights, on thorough-bred horses also. We stood 

 for half an hour, I think, on the summit of the hill, 

 watching the arrival of the field, who came flocking in 

 gradually, in various plight and humour. The distance 

 we had run was computed at about five miles, and the 

 time occupied in performing it, by the time keepers, 

 twelve minutes. All admitted (and there were some 

 jealous ones out) that it was the fastest thing they had 

 ever witnessed. 



The fox we had killed was the identical old gentleman 

 whom we had given such a dusting to two years before ; 

 and he was caught on the point of the hill which he had 

 run over on that occasion, when saving his life in the 

 rabbit pipe. Even in this short skurry many had so 

 effectually blown and harassed their horses, that they 

 declined any further exhibition on that day, and went 

 home. 



We were more than twenty miles from the kennel; 

 but, having a large field out, T determined to give them 

 another rattler, if I could. The fox from which the 

 hounds had been stopped in the morning, I calculated 

 upon meeting with again, neither was I disappointed. 

 Following upon the line which I considered he had taken, 



P 



