146 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



slow pace, with their standards before them, as in 

 triumph, till they came to the place from which they 

 h^d set out, and after they had prepared themselves 

 for another kind of exercise, came out again in a little 

 time. 



Some of them, while their horses were running 

 with loose reins, rode up and down, shooting their 

 arrows at the marks before and behind, some one, 

 others two, and some three. 



Others, while their horses were at their full 

 speed, would leap off three times, and (the horse 

 still running) mount again, and in the meantime 

 oe shooting their arrows, and never any of them miss 

 his aim : others, not sitting in their saddles, but stand- 

 ing up, while the horse seemed to fly, would hit the 

 mark exactly : others while their horses were at their 

 full gallop, would thrice unbend their bows, and toss 

 them about their heads like a whip, and again bend 

 them, and shoot without ever missing the mark. 

 Some of the riders would throw themselves three 

 times backwards off their horses, and would vault 

 into the saddle again, let the horse run as fast as he 

 ' would, and in the meantime let fly their arrows and 

 hit the mark as oft as they shot. Some would spring out 

 of their saddles, that were fast tied to the horses, and 

 would untie them, and then shoot : thrice they would 



