170 SPORTING REMINISCENCES [1825 to 



ment of hounds, when they go the pace. Fences 

 are generally to be managed, but bogs require 

 wings ; and as heart of oak is rather harder 

 than men's skulls, another difficulty presents 

 itself in the wooded parts — a tree is to be 

 encountered at about every fourth stride of 

 the horse. Horses that are used to all this 

 soon become wonderfully handy ; but, taking 

 it altogether, the Forest is a distressing country 

 to them, although they get a few chances in 

 their favour by foxes running short, which, 

 from the nature of the country, they must 

 often do. 



Mr. iiarbin. " There was one person in the 

 Forest of whom, having heard so much, I 

 was particularly anxious to see, and that was 

 Mr. Harbin.* 



" This gentleman resides in the Forest, and, 

 like the oaks that overshadow it, he has not 

 been stinted in his growth. His weight on his 

 horse must be upwards of twenty stone, but 

 his seat on his saddle surprised me much. He 

 stood up in his stirrups, in his thin jockey 

 boots, as his horse galloped along, and dis- 

 played all the activity of a ten-stone man. He 

 is also allowed to be an excellent sportsman, 

 and knows every track. I have a singular cir- 



* Mr. Harbin died at Fritham, May 3, 1837, setat 76. For a me- 

 moir, see Sporting Magazine, June, 1837. — Author. 



