290 FIELD AND FERN. 



fine patience of Captain Pettat — both long since gone 

 to their rest — won them many a race out of the fire. 

 The steeple-chase course went out from the bottom 

 towards Kilwinning, as far as the river Garnock, and 

 included several banks, a brook, and a wide ditch, as 

 vrell as a stone wall in front of the stand. Sir David 

 Eaird, on his clever little Pioneer or his cocky little 

 Dr. Syntax, was alike dangerous over it, and the 

 Marquis of Waterford fairly " skinned the lamb" by 

 winning thrice in succession in one afternoon on his 

 great, raking Blueskin. Lord Eglinton did not care 

 much for the flag-line ; but when the Marquis 

 thought that Multum in Parvo (13st. 71bs.) was not 

 so good as his Saladin (13st. 121bs.), his lordship took 

 him for 500 gs. ostensibly, but it was said for 1,000 gs. 

 a side, and, thanks to his own steady riding and John 

 Napier's training, beat the great Irish pair in a 

 canter. 



There have been no races since ^52; but a stick 

 cover has been made for the foxes in the park, and 

 thus one sporting interest rose when the other waned. 

 Major, Waterloo, and the beautiful Blackbird, "whose 

 eyes seemed starting from her head with life," are 

 all gone, and their monuments with them ; but there 

 are a few greyhounds still at the Castle, and the 

 Earl won the Waterloo Plate with Eainbow in '64, 

 when both the Purse and the Plate winners were 

 Ayrshire-bred, and King Death by an Ayrshire dog. 

 There is no special trace of the tournament ground 

 among the oaks, elms, and beeches at the back of the 



