174 HUNTING. 



Coventry, to Mr. Sidney, 'at her fences; and I attribute her 

 extraordinary quickness in jumping to her shoulders.' l Gayman, 

 the favourite mount of the giant Tom Edge, Assheton Smith's 

 silent friend, was, in Dick Christian's graphic phrase, ' a queer- 

 looking creature, thin neck, large head, raw hips, and a rat tail, 

 for all the world like a seventeen-hands dog-horse ; ' yet, in a 



1 An extensive collection of bad points.' 



famous Leicestershire run, thirteen miles from Botany Bay to 

 SLiwston Windmill, only four men saw the fox killed, and 

 Edge on Gayman was one of the four. 



The northern counties have from time immemorial been the 

 best nurseries for hunters. In the seventeenth century the fame 

 cf Malton and Richmond fairs was great ; the latter was held 

 in Easter week and at Rood-tide, the former on September 23. 

 Good horses were to be bought, too, at Ripon and North- 



1 The Book of the Horse, ch. iv. 



