HUNTING UNDER DIFFICULTIES 191 



never was a better. I exchanged her with my sister, later 

 on, for a horse called Longbow, by Launcelot (brother to 

 Touchstone) and I suppose this was the best hunter I 

 ever owned, though he was a shocking bad hack. 



Time had slipped along, and here is a letter, written 

 26th March 1874 : 



I am going to send the horse home the day after to-morrow, 

 as hunting here is about over, and he has had a pretty hard season. 



We went off a long way by train to Chipping Norton yesterday, 

 and also induced Wortley to go, for whom we procured a very 

 large horse. 



It was the most fearful place when we got there. We had to 

 wait from 9 o'clock till 12, and there was only one village near 

 the station, and that provided with the worst-looking inn you 

 ever saw only accommodation for one horse, and nothing but 

 two old women. 



We found a vacant stable of very fearful description across the 

 way ; and we also found some oats. Of course, we had no 

 assistance of any kind ; and then the only thing we could procure 

 for breakfast was the very fattest of bacon with the skin on ; 

 bread but no butter. 



The people at the station had had no idea about horse-boxes, 

 and so we had to get the horses out all by ourselves and manage 

 the opening of the box and everything. 



Then thinking we would by no means return again to the 

 horrid inn, we set off once more to the station and conveyed all 

 the clothing and things in front of us. Having located it in the 

 horse-box we proceeded to hunt and, of course, had a very moderate 

 day, over several large stone walls which men seemed to think 

 nothing of. 



They jumped one very high one right down a great drop into 

 the road such a drop that they went out of sight it is needless 

 to say that we refrained from doing so. 



Smith cut his horse's knees on a wall, and then we returned to 

 the station and had to clothe our horses once more, and get 

 them into the box, which was managed quite successfully. 



I suppose it is well to be able to do these things, but it is not 

 pleasing. 



No doubt the above experience of doing things for 

 yourself was salutary, whether pleasing or not. I think 

 it was the only time Stuart Wortley ever went hunting 

 with Lindsay Smith and myself. 



