A dangerous Fall, 203 



fox, a few couple ouly leading, wlien they 

 went oyer the fence into the enclosure at 

 Wickham Lodge. !N'early all the field went 

 on to the gate, but one man stayed with him ; 

 and they both went over the fence together. 

 Unluckily one horse fell, and threw his rider 

 close before Mr. Smith. He, to avoid him, 

 pulled his horse on one side, and so came in 

 contact with a branch of an oak-tree, which 

 caught him in the chest, and knocked him 

 backwards over the tail of his steed. He fell 

 heavily on his head and shoulders, and suf- 

 fered great pain; but he mounted his horse, 

 and joined the other men. They lu'ged him 

 strongly to go home, but he told them that 

 this was contrary to his practice; and he re- 

 mained with them to the end of the day. 

 However, he could not hunt again for several 

 weeks ; which was no wonder, as a distin- 

 guished steeple-chase rider out that day stated 

 that this was one of the most dangerous of 

 falls. 



