96 LADIES ON HORSEBACK. 



sometimes they find as soon as ever they are 

 thrown in, and are far away over the country 

 before the stragglers come up, and great, then, 

 are the lamentations, for hunting a stern- 

 chase is, to say the least of it, not cheerful. 

 You will have another advantage, also, in 

 being well forward, for your horse will get the 

 benefit of a temporary rest, whilst those who, 

 by lagging, have lost time at the start, are 

 obliged to follow as best they can upon the 

 track, bucketing their horses, and thus de- 

 priving them of the chance of catching their 

 wind — which is, in a lengthened run, of very 

 material consequence. 



One especial difference you observe between 

 road-riding and hunting : you are obHged to 

 trot at a fast swinging pace such long tire- 

 some distances from covert to covert, without 

 pause or rest, and you feel already half tired 

 out. Hitherto, when riding on the road, or 

 in the park, if you felt fatigued you have only 

 had to pull up and walk ; but on hunting 

 days there is no walking. The time is too 

 precious, these short, dark, wintry days, to 

 allow of such ^* sweet restings." The evening 



