Breeding- of Hu nters. 293 



fence, however crabbed, with or without his rider. In 

 fact, he may almost take rank with Captain Evans' 

 noted retriever '' Sam," who could act either as hunts- 

 man or valet, as well as any Christian, with the excep- 

 tion of shaving his master, a point on which Wych- 

 wood authorities still differ respecting him. An 

 immense deal of talk was made about King of the 

 Valley, a sixteen-two grey by Usquebaugh, and with 

 bone like a dray horse, clearing thirty-three feet 

 with Dick Christian on his back over the Billesdon 

 Brook, during a steeple-chase, in 1829 ; but an authen- 

 ticated thirty-four feet was jumped twelve years 

 afterwards by Vanguard, at Rugby, and he does not, 

 we believe, stand alone. Worcestershire claims a 

 similar feat for Vainhope, and we have heard that a 

 Warwickshire horse, Potiphar, also covered that 

 distance. Melton Mowbray used to say that the little 

 piebald Magpie could clear any bar she could walk 

 under ; but the Beverley men have, after all, the most 

 wonderful leaping legend about Euryalus, who jumped 

 out of his box at the Rose and Crown yard, through 

 a window only thirty-three inches by twenty, and four 

 feet and a half from the ground, without leaving a 

 hair on the window frame. His stock did not belie 

 him in the field, and if anyone doubts this feat, let 

 him seek the descendants of the ostler, and he will 

 doubt no longer. It was also the extraordinary style 

 in which he cleared a hurdle on a hedge that in- 

 duced Mr. Mytton to take entirely to Oliver, whom he 

 had only borrowed from his whip, who rode up when 

 his own mare had given him a header in a brook ; and 

 it is recorded in Shropshire that he did really take a 

 lane flying on his one-eyed Baronet, a feat which is 

 generally thought to have been confined to Moon- 

 raker. Will Goodall, who was Mr. Drake's second 

 horseman at thirteen, in a moment of inspiration, 

 once attempted to do the same, and excused him- 

 self, when the master wigged him for giving his 



