174 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



two in the day, and those who selected the line 

 arranged that the farmers' race should start from a 

 hill at Pitchcott, about six miles from the town, and 

 should finish in a small enclosure about two miles 

 from Aylesbury. In fact, it was near to the very 

 spot where Old Vivian, ridden by the veteran 

 'Martin Beecher,' finished and won, with Grimaldi, 

 of St. Albans fame, ridden by Dan Seffert, second. 

 The last fence into the winning field was actually 

 unjumpable at any time ; but after a horse had 

 bustled along for four miles, probably with more 

 than one fall, it need not be wondered that this 

 fence should be designated ' a corker,' under the 

 mistaken idea that it tested the staying powers of a 

 'chaser.' The race was for loo/., given by Baron 

 Rothschild for farmers over whose lands the hounds 

 ran — 70/. for the first horse, 20/. for the second, and 

 10/. for the third. The course was only marked out 

 by one flag occasionally placed in a hedge, which 

 was to be passed on the right hand ; the riders were 

 to find their way over the line as they best could. 

 There was no showing them the course beforehand. 

 It is almost impossible to give credence to the 

 description of a natural course in those days, 

 especially from those who are accustomed to the 

 well formed and neatly trimmed fences of Kempton, 

 Lingfield, Sandown, ct id genus omne, but this last 

 fence should be seen to enable men at the present 

 day to comprehend what a cross-country horse and 

 his rider had to negotiate — which is a very expressive 

 and proper term. After the brook, then galloping 



