A DAY WITH THE DRAG 211 



mounted by the orthodox black velvet hunting-cap, 

 which are de rigeur at Woolwich now. When 

 I first joined in their cheery gallops, there was no 

 hunt uniform, and the appearance of the " turn out " 

 suffered accordingly. Now, nothing is left to be 

 desired in this direction. Good fellowship in the 

 field we have always had, and does not this go far 

 indeed to make up the sum of one's enjoyment ? 

 When every man out, almost without exception, 

 knows the rest of the field personally ; when a 

 kindly hand is always ready to be stretched forth 

 to aid a brother in distress — when you know every 

 man well enough to say " mind you don't jump on 

 me, old chap, if this ' hairy ' comes base over apex 

 at the next fence ! " or, " Let me have that place 

 first ; I can't hold this beggar ! " things all seem so 

 much pleasanter than they are in a country where 

 you know few people, and don't know them very 

 well : yes, sociability, depend upon it, goes very far 

 indeed to make up the charm of any sport, and in 

 none more so than in that of crossing a country. 



Let us imagine ourselves arrived at Woolwich 

 and " done well " at luncheon in the E.A. mess. 

 And here I would observe, par parenthcse, that 

 it would require a big effort of imagination to 

 picture to yourself any occasion upon which you 

 were not " done well " within those hospitable 



