Bowman. 147 



Meeting came off. As Dignum did not fancy the mount 

 on Bowman for the Lucknow steeplechase, he asked me 

 to ride, to which I gladly consented, as I was only too 

 ■delighted to have a chance of sporting silk. Mr. Short 

 was on Daybreak, Mr. Hartwell on Marquis, Mr. Baker 

 on the chaser Kingcraft, and some one on Nelly. That 

 year they made the big wall on the far side of the course 

 4 ft. 9 in. high ! This was done, I suppose, for the 

 country-bred's benefit. A short time ago I met Mr. 

 " Joe " Anderson, who had measured this unbreakable 

 fortification, as he was one of the stewards. He assured 

 me that it was within three inches of five feet. In my 

 book on "Riding on the Flat and Across Country" 

 I gave, when mentioning the incidents of this chase, 

 the height of this wall as 4 ft 6 in. ; for I was not 

 quite sure of the measurement, and thought it best to 

 err on the safe side. Before the race came off, I begged 

 Mr. Anderson to have the wall cut down six inches, for 

 I knew that Bowman would never clear it. Joe said he 

 would, but didn't. He tells me now that he was not 

 able to accede to my request, as the course had been 

 passed by the stewards and could not be altered. What 

 a bright lot they must have been ! Marquis went so 

 5I0W that, although Bowman and Daybreak refused a 



