54 THE LIFE OF A HUNTER 



crowds and carnages. I was high-spirited, 

 and, perhaps with the idea of checking my 

 exuberant spirits, or just because I moved 

 nicely and carried myself prettily, I was put 

 into harness, and then went leader to my 

 only stable companion in a tandem. I have 

 always felt rather ashamed of alluding to this 

 part of my life, as most of the hunters I 

 was associated with afterwards would have 

 counted such a thing an indignity to their 

 profession. Still, in looking back, I do not 

 know that I suffered any harm by the few 

 weeks' experience of harness, and, indeed, 

 am not sure that my good temper and 

 willingness to do all that was asked of me 

 does not owe something to this early train- 

 ing. I was only three years old, and it was 

 easier for me to go leader in a tandem than 



