1 68 Salmon Fishing'. 



within a yard or two of it, ere he came to a 

 stand-still. This I could not submit to, and 

 in went the spurs, and on his flank blow after 

 blow of the cane whip-handle descended, as 

 hard and long as I could wield it, though all 

 to no purpose. 



The horse not only stood stock-still, but he 

 appeared to me to tremble like a leaf. What 

 was I to do? To punish him any more, was 

 beyond me, I could not do it ; when just imagine 

 my surprise, as a voice which I instantly re- 

 cognised reached me from a lane near at hand, 

 to this effect : " You had a lucky escape there ! 

 Crane over the fence if you can, and see what 

 you have escaped!" I did as he told me, and 

 what was my horror, when I saw at a glance 

 that the sagacity of the poor horse, I had so 

 ruthlessly whipped and spurred a minute before, 

 had saved me in all probability from a dreadful 

 death. On the other side of the hedge was 

 a large bog-pit, soft and deep enough, not 

 only to ingulf the horse and his rider, but I 



