A SPOTTING TRIP TO FRANCE. 185 



compared with many obstacles you see in 

 some of the steeple-chases in France. I re- 

 member riding, or endeavouring to ride, over 

 rough, ploughed ground in several parts of 

 Lower Brittany that is, ground turned up to 

 the depth of eighteen inches or two feet. It is 

 done in the spring of the year, and left to the 

 summer sun. This is, in July, like riding 

 amongst large boulders of rock, and pretty 

 nearly as hard. 



A friend, in writing to me on January 9th, 1868, 

 says, " I look forward to ' fight over old battles ' 

 with you on some future occasion, as I have 

 lived some time in France myself, and, amongst 

 others, was present at the celebrated and absurd 

 steeple-chase at the Haras du Pin, when Mul- 

 tum in Parvo won, and at Caen, where Spring- 

 bok won. Such 'countries/ too, and 'obstacles/ 

 Mon Dim !" 



Well might he say " such countries and 

 obstacles ;" I shall never forget them, for I rode 

 in^all these steeple-chases myself. I remember 

 now with what horror I looked at the post and 

 rails at the Haras du Pin, which one of my 

 French acquaintances told me was " dbsolument 



