2:;0 



CHAPTER XV 



A native's opinion of the Downs — Other opinions — Gleanings from 

 their ancient history — Sporting from the beginning — The re- 

 searches of Messrs. W. Money and T. W. Shore — King John at 

 Freemantle Park — A royal sportsman and breeder of running 

 horses — The sporting Duke of Cumberland at Cannon Heath — 

 Eclipse — A font for a horse-block — Rescued by Porter — Burgh- 

 clere : William Cobbett — Steventon : Jane Austen — Laverstoke 

 mills — The robbery of bank-note paper. 



The first day Porter was out with his horses on 

 the Downs, which have achieved fame in the racing 

 world chiefly in association with his name and work, 

 he met an old shepherd who was tending his flock. 

 After exchanging cheery ' good mornings ' with the 

 ancient native, Porter said, ' What sort of a country 

 is this I have come to live in?' 'Well, zur,' replied 

 the gnarled old shepherd, ' I can tell you that in a 

 very few words. It is too poor a country to live in, 

 and it is far too healthy to die in. We just hangs 

 on as long as we likes, and then we comes up here 

 and gets blowed away.' During the thirty-three 

 years that he has dwelt at Cannon Heath, and for 

 the main part of that period at what, in the language 

 of one enthusiastic admirer (everybody falls in love 

 with Kingsclere), is described as ' one of those dear 

 old spots which are about a thousand miles from any- 

 where, the metals of the nearest railway gleaming like 



