286 LADIES ON HOESEBACK. 



and having a tight hold of the bridle reins, 

 the throat-lash gave way, and the bridle came 

 off the horse's head. As Sailor was getting 

 on his legs, Mr. McDonogh jumped into the 

 saddle, and setting his horse going was soon 

 in pursuit of the leaders. There were in the 

 IJ miles that had yet to be travelled nearly 

 ten awkward double-posted fences. The third 

 last impediment was a narrow lanC' — called in 

 Irish a ^' boreen " — with an intricate bank 

 into and out of it. The riders of Valentine 

 and Monarch had bridles ; consequently they 

 could steady their horses and jump in and out 

 " clever." Not so Mr. McDonogh, who had 

 nothing to guide his horse but his whip. 

 Steeringthe animal, however, for the ^^boreen," 

 he put him at his best pace, and without ever 

 laying an iron on it, he went from field to 

 field and landed alongside the leaders. The 

 riders of the other horses, seeing he had no 

 power to guide his mount, endeavoured to put 

 him outside a post that had to be gone round 

 to make the turn into the straight line for 

 home; but the young jockey, stretching his 

 arms almost round his horse's nose, by some 



