SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 353 



otherwise, except by accident. A double ox fence is 

 milk-and-water to such things as these; and going at 

 water ever so wide — barring the Severn, and other 

 rivers not jumpable — is quite harmless in com- 

 parison. You gets your go under soft and soapy 

 like, and comes up not much the worse for the dip- 

 ping; but here, as that there Count says, who comes 

 over from Johnny Crapaud's land, ^tis all ' de contraire 

 — 3^our horse's nose goes into de ground, and you fly 

 over de ground •/ and the chances are in favour of a 

 man's spine being disarranged without the assistance 

 of Mr. Calcraft. Steadily does it, sir, and a pull up 

 for a second or so over these ruts will give our horses 

 just time to catch their second wind, and then we 

 shall sail away as pleasantly as ever. Jem's ahead 

 of us, squire, and his nag has got the foot of mine, 

 with two stone less upon his back, which goes for 

 more than most folks fancy. As for catching him, 

 squire, or the hounds, that's all moonshine. We 

 can't do it. ' C^est impossible,' as the Count says, 

 — who, I expect, from his manner of operating, will 

 come to grief afore he gets t'other side of these 

 crossings — it's just the sort of trap to catch a 

 mounseer. Heads up and tails up — all that sort 

 of thing ; instead of minding where he is going to 

 and keeping his horse together. Now, squire, for 

 the run in. Come along, sir, the best foot fore- 

 most." And away sped Headman, on his bit of 

 blood, at an astonishing pace. 



But every one knows, who knows anything about 

 it, that blood will tell in man, horse, or hound. The 

 better they are bred the better they will go ; and 



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