L ord Spencer' s M aster sh ip, 195 



also my place among the first few. Wlien I got up to 

 tlie road where I lost sight of the leading men^ I fell in 

 with the Huntsman heading the second flight. He made 

 me gallop a particular way, but finding that that was 

 wrong, he turned back, knowing that it would be of no 

 use. I persevered and made a dash down some lanes as 

 a speculation. After going about twenty minutes I saw 

 what is called ^ the hunt,' and expected to catch it over 

 a hill just in front of me. To my surprise, up came the 

 stag right to me, and presently three couple of hounds, 

 and then five couple more, but no one in sight. Of 

 course I followed this lot, and had about three miles of 

 splendid country all to myself. When the stag was 

 taken not a soul was to be seen, nor did a horseman 

 appear in sight until I had got to a road five fields off with 

 the hounds, not one of whom knew me. Some labourers 

 drove them to me ; but when they disappeared, as they 

 soon did, off went my reluctant followers. In about 

 twenty minutes a stray man appeared, and ten minutes 

 later the Whip, but not a soul beside. It was no great 

 feat, but it was very amusing.^'' Mr. Green, in page 78 

 of his very interesting volume, after describing an attack 

 of a kestrel on a rook, goes on to say : " Another 

 curious thing which I saw during my visit to Ireland, 

 was a stag, hounds, and horses all run to a stand-still, or 

 at least to such a state of exhaustion that none of them 

 could move so fast as I could walk. I was sitting by 

 myself one afternoon, when I heard the cry of hounds as 

 if crossing the park. I ran out, came up with them, and 

 had no difficulty in keeping up with them. Only five or 

 six horsemen were near, and their animals looked as if 

 they had not a leg to stand upon, and could scarcely 



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