THE FINEST SPORT 137 



myself to run for the flat and shapely legs of 

 my beloved Arabs. 



The essence of sport Is to pit one's self 

 against those powers of defence with which 

 nature has endeavoured to protect the par- 

 ticular animal which we are endeavouring 

 to lay low. Thus, when we approach the 

 monarchs of the jungle, pachydermatous or 

 carnivorous as the case may be, within a few 

 yards, with only our trusty rifle In our hands, 

 —and grand sport that is too, I warrant 

 you, — we pit ourselves against their strength 

 and natural weapons, just as when we slip 

 our greyhounds at the flying hare, we pit 

 ourselves against her speed. 



Now, at one period of my life I should 

 have had no hesitation in giving the sporting 

 palm to fox-hunting, and even now I have 

 great hesitation in dispossessing it from its 



