60 THE QUORN HUNT 



And what's worse, she gave Van such a devilish jog 



In the face with her head, plunging out of a bog, 



That with eye black as ink, or as Edward's famed Prince, 



Half blind has he been, and quite deaf ever since. 



But let that not mortify thee, Shacabac ; 1 



She only was blown, and came home a rare hack. 



There Craven too stopped, whose misfortune, not fault, 

 His mare unaccountably vexed with string-halt ; 

 And when she had ceased thus spasmodic to prance, 

 Her mouth 'gan to twitch with St. Vitus's dance. 

 But how shall described be the fate of Rose Price, 

 Whose fav'rite white gelding conveyed him so nice 

 Through thick and through thin, that he vowed and protested 2 

 No money should part them, as long as life lasted ? 

 But the pace that effected which money could not : 

 For to part, and in death, was their no distant lot. 

 In a fatal blind ditch Carlo Khan's 3 powers failed, 

 Where nor lancet nor laudanum either availed. 

 More care of a horse than he took, could take no man ; 

 He'd more straw than would serve any lying-in woman. 

 Still he died ! — yet just how, as nobody knows, 

 It may truly be said, he died "under the Rose." 

 At the death of poor Khan, Melton feels such remorse, 

 That they've christened that ditch, "The Vale of White Horse." 



Thus ended a chase, which for distance and speed 

 Its fellow we never have heard of or read. 

 Every species of ground ev'ry horse does not suit, 

 What's a good country hunter may here prove a brute ; 

 And, unless for all sorts of strange fences prepared, 

 A man and his horse are sure to be scared. 

 This variety gives constant life to the chase ; 

 But as Forester says — " Sir, what kills, is the pace." 

 In most other countries they boast of their breed, 

 For carrying, at times, such a beautiful head ; 

 But these hounds to carry a head cannot fail, 

 And constantly too, for, — by George, — there's no tail. 

 Talk of horses, and hounds, and the system of kennel, 

 Give me Leicestershire nags, and the hounds of Old Meynell ! 



1 A name taken from Blue Beard, and given to Mr. Vanneck by his 

 Melton friends. 



2 At the covert side a large sum was offered for it. 



3 Mr. Price's horse. 



