444 



FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



two strides away. (Those are trying moments when the 

 heather seems to vanish before your gallop, when you look in 

 vain for tuft and hassock, and when nothing remains but to 

 hold your breath and the head of yonr struggling beast as he 





plunges into the green, dank morass. How grateful you feel to 

 him and to the directing cherub, who watches over the cross- 

 country rider and his fortunes quite as staunchly as over 

 seafaring Jack, when a last heave and a final gasp land you 

 once more upon heather firma !) In a few minutes we were in. 

 Bolderwood, one of the highest and most picturesque of the 

 Inclosures, and a favourite point of excursion from Lyndhurst 

 and other tourist-centres. At the present moment a coach had 

 just driven up, and deposited its load for their picnic. Hounds 

 and deer were soon again in sight as we galloped on ; and our 

 progress was now among the dark rides of the woodland. To- 

 shorten my story, it will be enough to tell that our deer, a 

 young pricket, broke his foreleg as he jumped the high railings 

 to turn back towards the open ; and that a few minutes later 

 hounds pulled him down within the coverts. 



