ON STEEPLE-CHASING. 301 



sidering the difficult (and to most riders 

 extremely unpleasant) task he was attempt- 

 ing. Another characteristic reminiscence of 

 my hard-riding friend was a " Pounding " 

 match to which he had challenged a gallant 

 suhaltern in one of Her Majesty's foot 



regiments. Poor E had a brown horse 



called Blazes, a real spoi-ting-looking old 

 crock, just such a stamp as Leech loved 

 to put his hard-going undergrads. on. His 

 antagonist rode a little, nearly thoroughbred 

 bay mare, a marvellous jumper. After 

 setting each other some terrific leaps in 



cold blood, E 's horse got stranded 



across a high stone wall, very wide on the 

 top, and hung there with his jock standing 

 on the wall astride him. "Might he get 

 down ? " Certainly, but man and horse 

 must descend together or lose the match. 



Down sat E again and plunged in the 



rowels. Poor old Blazes made his final 

 effort, a mighty plunge, and down came 



