TRAINING REPORTS 361 



was Tiger, Mr. Dawson's mastiff, who instantly attacked 

 us, and, selecting me (like a fool) for his victim, disabled 

 me to such an extent that I cannot enter further into 

 particulars here. 



' Friday. — The horses came out at ten minutes past five 

 this morning, accompanied by Mr. Merry, Mat Dawson, 

 and Arthur Edwards, and walked under the plantation for 

 a good half hour, but neither Student, Primate, Beelzebub, 

 Zambesi, nor Watchbox was amongst then. Mr. Dawson 

 did nothing there, but proceeded direct to White Horse 

 Hill, nearly three miles farther on, so you may fancy what 

 a bucketting I had ; and when I got there it was all over, 

 so I can tell you nothing about the trial. One thing I'm 

 certain of, there was a stranger in it, and from what I could 

 make out in the distance I'm pretty sure it was Lord Lyon. 

 Mr. Dover was trotting on his pony alongside of him — 

 that I'm sure of, as I could sware to him a mile off by his 

 elbows ; and the man on the horse was very like Custance, 

 only he had a light beard — a disguise, perhaps. Both Mr. 

 Merry and Mat Dawson seemed highly pleased when they 

 started home, and Bill (who hid himself in a small brake 

 they had to pass on the way back to Russley) afterwards 

 told me that he overheard Mr. Dawson remark, " I think, 

 sir, we've put the double on 'em this time. There's nothing 

 like ringing the changes ! " What could he mean ? Have 

 they had a dummy Student all along? I shall keep you 

 fully posted with all that goes on ; but these ten or twelve 

 mile journeys of a morning are no joke.' 



The ' mix-up ' of the horses in the foregoing is very 

 good fun. It was a great idea to bring Student and Lord 

 Lyon together in a trial ! In the next report (Malton) the 

 reporter excuses himself on the ground of his being a new- 

 comer, his predecessor having died of delirium tremens. 

 He adopts ' a chronological arrangement.' 



This is part of what another description of training 

 reporter despatches from Littleton. 



' I am happy to inform you that 13 of our horses, or 

 more strictly speaking 3 mares and 10 horses, are doing 

 good work. On Wednesday at 10 minutes to 9 Salpinctes 

 walked for 35 minutes ; pulling up apparently fresh and 

 well. At 16 minutes to 10, Gem of the Sea led Buck, the 

 Stmger, and Proserpine a steady canter of 1 mile 2 

 furlongs and a half some odd yards : Buck finishing 3 



