Hunting Enjoyment 



train him for racing; and he was indubitably 

 one of the finest hunters that even a hardened 

 "thruster" (which I am not) could desire. 

 Nothing came amiss to him. No day was too 

 long for him ; no fence too big ; no pace too 

 hot. He was relatively as good over natural 

 obstacles when hounds were running as over 

 the regulation course for a purse of gold. You 

 could not put him out of his place whilst he 

 had any sort of a leg to stand at ease on. He 

 never gave me a fall, either 'chasing or hunting. 

 One hated to get off his back at any time of 

 the day or night. 



I often had a great deal of fun with the Surrey 

 Staghounds on " Ilex," especially in respect to 

 those gallant followers who knew me and did not 

 know him. During the course of one excellent 

 run, when we were going strong and well, a 

 youth by my side on a common -bred steed 

 smiled at me superciliously, and said: "What 

 is that poor old crock you're riding? Strange 

 to say," he went on, vastly pleased with him- 

 self, "I've never yet seen a steeplechase jockey 

 on a good hunter." He chuckled fatuously, as 

 though he had just swallowed a speedy ball and 

 wanted it. 



Afterwards, when he saw " Ilex " trot quietly 

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