HIS INFLUENCE OVER HORSES. 151 



US away twelve miles in fifty-eight minutes, with only one 

 trifling check of eight minutes, before he died. The coun- 

 try he went over could only be compared to Newmarket 

 Heath, enclosed with strong fences. That there was dis- 

 tress among the horses it is needless to observe, after the 

 above description. Mr. Smith rode his famous Jack-o'-Lan- 

 tern in his usual style. Seeing Mr. Lindow on The Clipper, 

 encouraging the hounds to a scent at a gateway, he was be- 

 ginning to rate us, saying that ' the hounds had been pressed 

 upon, and that we only wanted a puff for our horses.' At 

 this moment the chase was resumed, and Lindow turning 

 round, aptly remarked, 'that he had had his x^'^ff^ ^r he 

 would not have been there.' The fox lived about eight 

 minutes longer, and Mr. Smith, seeing two couples of his 

 young hounds leading, appeared transported with delight. 

 He never turned his horse's head so much as ten yards to 

 the right or to the left for an open gate, or for a gap, but 

 rode by the side of his pack, cheering them to their fox 

 (which he knew must die) in a manner and at a pace that I 

 shall never forget." 



It is well known what a number of brooks there are in 

 the Quorn and Belvoir counties, and most sportsmen, if they 

 were never out with Mr. Smith, have at all events heard 

 what a capital hand he was at getting over them. He once 

 charged the river "VVelland, which divides the counties of 

 Leicester, Northampton, and Rutland, and is said to be alto- 

 gether impracticable, at the end of one of the most desperate 

 runs ever known. This knack he had of getting across 

 water is to be attributed to his resolute way of riding to 

 hounds, by which his horses knew that it was in vain to 

 refuse whatever he might put them at. A remarkable ex- 

 ample of this occurred in the Harborough country. He 

 was galloping at three-parts speed down one of the large 

 grass fields which abound in that district, in the act of 

 bringing his hounds to a scent, and was looking back to see 



