12 SPORTS AND ANECDOTES. 



would break off short and insinuate themselves into 

 his boots, and getting over the standing-up tops, 

 and so working their way down till they were as 

 far as the calves of his legs, where they became, as 

 it were, jammed, and this produced a most unpleas- 

 ant sensation, and an irritation which was anything 

 but agreeable, and this fact was the only thing 

 against them, except their unsightly appearance, that 

 I ever heard of. 



They would ride up to the meet in their white 

 cord breeches, with either what were called mud 

 boots or spatterdashes, to keep their boots free 

 from mud, swallow-tailed coats (no one wore cut- 

 aways in those days), and tall chimney-pot hats, 

 which had as much nap on them as there is wool 

 on many a Southdown sheep's back, and which were 

 much in the shape of a garden pot regular chimney- 

 pots. The said hats were wonderful to behold, not 

 only from their height and shape, but also for 

 their marvellous discomfort, for when they got wet 

 through they became as soft as tripe, as heavy as 

 if they had been made of sheet lead ; and a 

 mixture of something after the manner of gum or 

 glue would trickle down one's face and neck to 

 one's endless discomfort ; and they took a deal of 



