ii6 HISTORY OF THE YORK AND AINSTY HUNT. 



/the horse sailed like a dog direct to him. I thought 

 'Sir Charles was hoping to be saved by him, and on the 

 'two getting together he made a last grasp at the horse 

 ' on the near side, when (the writer thinks) he got hold of 

 'the bridle, and pulled his head underwater. Be that as 

 ' it may, they both instantly sank, the honoured master to 

 'rise no more alive! Peace to his remains! 



' My next move was back to the ferry. The first objects 

 ' in sight were ]\Ir. Clare Vyner, Sir George Wombwell, 

 ' and, 1 think, Capt. Key ; Sir George being in the centre, 

 ' standing on the boat, which was keel upwards. How 

 ' they had escaped from the boiling cauldron, and the 

 ' life-and-death fight with horses and men underneath, 

 ' goodness only knows. 



' They stood erect, but gaunt, hag'gard, and like statues. 

 ' Then I learned the worst of this sad affair — the number 

 ' of men and horses missing, and the time occupied from 

 'the beginning of the tragedy to the end, not more than 

 ' two or three minutes — a vivid illustration of sacred writ, 

 ' that " in the midst of life we are in death." 



'Thinking the bodies would soon be over the roaring 

 'weir at Boroughbridge, I galloped off, and fortunately 

 ' found the police at their office, and gave them instructions 

 ' to start all the boats up the river. They did so, and 

 ' assisted in securing three bodies that afternoon. The 

 ' next touching incident was the hounds coming through 

 ' Boroughbridge en route for kennels, with the second whip, 

 ' William Powter, there being only one dog missing. I 

 'gave him some little refreshment, and sent him on his 

 'way, charged with the most melancholy intelligence to 

 ' Mrs. Orvis of her husband and the master being drowned 

 ' in the fatal Ure. 



' I then started for home, dark and dreary all the way, 

 ' and, thanks to my horse, arrived safe ; but how I got 

 'there, and with what feelings, may be imagined, but 

 ' cannot be described. 



' On the following day an inquest was held over five 

 'of the recovered bodies, one boatman being still missing 

 ' (but afterwards found). The jury sat in the dining-room 

 'at the hall, and a verdict of accidental death was given. 

 ' The scene of the accident was visited by large numbers. 



