Devonshire 1 09 



be looking out of the train, which was then passing over 

 Brunei's famous viaduct, and in which we expected that he 

 was travelling. The cart was soon got on board, but in 

 vain did we try every means in our power to get the pony 

 into the other boat, for nothing would induce it to embark. 

 At last, in despair, I suggested that we should swim the 

 pony over behind our boat, and after some demur it was 

 acceded to, as no other means of crossing presented itself. 

 To our surprise the pony offered no resistance, and as soon 

 as the boat began to recede from the shore it followed us 

 without any difficulty and swam beside us, while we 

 guided it by the harness reins attached to the bridle. The 

 three-quarters of a mile were soon passed over, and we 

 were quickly en route, again for Landrake, but so much 

 time had been lost that we feared we should never reach 

 the course in time. Fortunately, our race was fixed for 

 one of the last events, and we arrived on the scene while 

 the preceding one was being run. Our difficulties, how- 

 ever, were not yet over, for we were immediately met by 

 the lad who had gone with " Kildare '" in the morning, 

 saying that he had lost his way and had only just arrived, 

 while " Kildare " had had nothing to eat since he had left 

 his stable at 7 A.M. This was cheerful news, for it would 

 never have done to have fed him within a few minutes of 

 his race, so we procured a bottle of ale and poured it down 

 his throat. He seemed rather to like it, and the effect it 

 speedily had upon him was almost magical. Instead of 

 looking rather weary and jaded, he became almost playful, 

 and stepped out as proudly as if he had just come out of 

 his stable. He ran, too, as well as he looked, and taking 

 the lead about half-way, he was never again approached, 

 and won easily by several lengths. Our return home was 



