THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 185 



longer go. And this was the way in which they did go, 

 at least such of them as came under the notice of our hero, 

 who thus noted them in his book, and sent a copy of his 

 remarks to Sir John : 



" Jacob Wardell, on a weedy thorough-bred one, looking 

 nearly as fit to be carried by, as to carry his rider, with a 

 hooked stick in his right hand, one end of it resting on 

 his shoulder, and his own head nearly as high as the top 

 of it, went away with the lead at a pace that could scarcely 

 be maintained on a race-course, still less over ridge and 

 furrowed grass land, on a stiff clay bottom ; and, although 

 he held the lead gallantly for the first four fields, was at 

 length laid flat on his back in a wide, broad ditch, and 

 leaped over, as he lay there, by Forester, and three more 

 whose persons I could not distinguish, being a good land's 

 length in the rear of them. By a lucky turn in my favour, 

 however, I soon got alongside them, and found them to 

 be Lord Villiers on one of his two famous black horses 

 that Mr. Somerby had told me of, Mr. Childe, Mr. 

 Cholmondeley, and Mr. Smith, Mr. Germaine and Mr. 

 Musters lying a little to their left. I was delighted to 

 find myself in such company, but fearing I should soon be 

 cut by them, as we used to say at Eton, and recollecting 

 an aphorism of Egerton's, that example is the best in- 

 structor, I determined on endeavouring to follow Mr. 

 Forester so long as my horse enabled me to do so. And 

 now for the result, which I could not have believed prior 

 to the experience of it. When, at about half a field's 

 distance from him, I saw him take each fence as it came, 

 I repeatedly said within myself, that's nothing at all 

 events adding, where are your big Leicestershire fences ? 

 But I was as oftentimes deceived, when I came up to them, 

 by finding them very big. But hoic is this? I would 

 exclaim. Neither Forester nor his horse appeared to 

 make more exertion to get over those strong bullock 

 fences than they might have made in clearing a dead 

 hedge and small ditch. I was told it was all the effect 

 of hand of handing his horses, as it were, easily and 

 tenderly over their fences ; not allowing them to leap a 

 yard higher, or farther, than was necessary. That is the 

 man for me. 



" But I was soon obliged to decline keeping such good 

 company ; the pace was beyond what I had been used 

 to, and my place was taken by Sir Henry Peyton on 



