328 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



who was very fresh, nearly threw me off by shying 

 at the Aunt Sallies, just as I was going to address 

 the foot-people on the situation. By the time I had 

 recovered one stirrup and my hat, Blackback was out 

 of the cart. 



After going two fields parallel to the brook the hill- 

 folk turned him down over Rosey, which he crossed 

 at some conventional willows — a nasty flooded-look- 

 ing place from where we were. The knowing ones 

 now made off for the ford. However, the heliotrope 

 kept a good many in the path of glory. The country 

 being very deep and much water out, I gave him very 

 little law — also on the principle of, " For God's sake 

 start us. Captain, before the whiskey is out of us ! " 



The willows presented a scene of wild confusion. 

 For a hundred yards each side of where the hounds 

 crossed there was no reasonable fair take-off, the 

 water being out over the banks. I think all the 

 hunt servants, more or less, got in. The fact is, we 

 are more accustomed to boating than water-jumping. 

 Mr. Harvey (the huntsman) on "Romeo" appeared 

 to make a sort of duck and drake job of it, but did 

 not part, greatly to his credit. The spluttering about 

 was tremendous. Waterspouts filled the startled air. 

 Everybody got in ; Charles Rich, according to his 

 own account, climbed up one of the willows, after 

 driving Moore's old grey, that he was riding, into the 

 water up to his neck. I could not understand what 

 he did next, but they got over somehow on right side 

 together, Charlie being wet up to his middle. " A 



d d good performance, I call it," he said to me 



afterwards, which, as he weighs i9st. and is no 

 climber, I think it was. 



Self and Goldsmith on a well-bred white horse, 

 and one or two more rode up the brook. Gold- 

 smith found a place with a little rise to it, good take- 

 off and friendly bush. It was no very great width 



