COLONIAL AND AMERICAN HORSEMEN 183 



touching the ground. Howl got back I cannot tell, 

 but I did regain my seat, and my horse was at a run 

 in a moment. All this you must understand took 

 place in less time by far than it will take to read 

 this account. One moment we were in a scamper 

 through a ploughed field ; another, over a beautiful 

 pasture ; and another, winding through the devious 

 paths of a wood. I have said that I mounted at nine 

 and a half o'clock. It wanted twenty minutes to five 

 when I finally dismounted, not having been out of 

 the saddle for more than thirty seconds during all 

 this time, and then only to change my horse, taking 

 a fresh one from a groom who was in attendance. 

 During much of this time we were on a full run. 



' The next day had its incidents. The place of 

 meeting was about fourteen miles from the house. 

 Our horses were previously led thither by grooms, 

 and we rode there in a carriage and four, with out- 

 riders, and took our horses fresh. This day I met 

 with a fall. The country was very rough, and the 

 fences often quite stiff and high. I rode among the 

 foremost, and on going over a fence and a brook 

 together, came to the ground. My horse cleared 

 them both, and I cleared him, for I went directly 

 over his head. Of course he started off, but was 

 soon caught by Lord Milton and a parson, who had 

 already made the leap successfully. The best and 

 hardest rider in this part of the country is reputed 

 to be a clergyman, and there was not a day that I 



