A Black Diamond. 47 



called, I was quite at home, and we really 

 got on so well together, that when I went out 

 with the hounds, I, who had been looked upon 

 with horror, avoided, abused, and generally 

 wished at the devil, quite recovered my char- 

 acter for a time ; but, unfortunately, I got into 

 hot water again with one or two other animals, 

 particularly with a roan mare which I rode for 

 many seasons, and of which more hereafter. 



I was formed by nature for a good seat on a 

 horse, and without a good. seat a man cannot 

 have good hands. If I could not have ridden 

 Black Diamond without getting into scrapes 

 it would have been, my own fault, and during 

 the two years I rode him, I thoroughly en- 

 joyed hunting, and had many capital days with 

 him. He was as fond of jumping as I was, 

 and-* the reader may depend upon it I was 

 nothing loth to indulge him in it. What 

 places I used to shove him at he would go at 

 them best pace and fly them, or he would 

 creep like a goat at any cramped place, and 

 would pop into and out of a narrow lane with 

 only a few yards between the fences as clever 

 as a cat. 



It was quite a new and most delightful 



