176 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



whilst three men on each side propped him up, and 

 the poor brute walked with difficulty between the 

 flags and obtained second money. No other horse 

 was in sight, although twelve had started. After 

 waiting some time, no one else appearing, the 

 judge with his friends left the field, proceeding 

 homewards in a fly. The crowd, both horse and 

 foot, were returning along the turnpike road, which 

 adjoined the last three fields, amongst whom was the 

 veteran John Brown, of Tring, who died about three 

 years since at the age of ninety-three, when some 

 one said, ' Muster Brown, there ain't been anybody 

 claiming the lo/. for the third horse.' ' If that's it,' 

 said the old stager, 'I'll have a try.' He rode back 

 with some friends about half a mile, where he had 

 left off beaten, and as his horse had somewhat 

 recovered his wind, he set him going, came up to 

 the terrible double, got safely over, calling upon 

 several people to witness that he had properly gone 

 fairly over the course, and had passed through the 

 winning flags, and claimed the lo/. for third money ! 

 In the end this was awarded to him. The foolish- 

 ness of this arrangement, and its cruelty, so impressed 

 me, that I determined, if I had ever an opportunity, 

 the whole of this system should be abolished. 



The next year, having been applied to by the 

 ' 'Varsity ' gentlemen to find them a course, I pro- 

 ceeded to do so. I considered there was something 

 else to be done besides showing the stamina and capa- 

 bility of a hunter, viz. that the public should be 

 amused, and that the absurdity of a 'point to point ' 

 race, with its iiiipracticaiilc fences, should beabolishcd ; 



