14 



COURSING 



gave her a good beating. Notwithstanding this the British 

 public would not be stalled off their idol, and McGrath was 

 steadily backed down to 6 to i, whilst 'tens' were procurable 

 about Bab, who ran in Mr. R. Paterson's nomination. As 

 luck would have it, the great rivals were drawn well apart, so 

 that as the contest progressed excitement waxed higher and 

 higher, until it culminated in their going to slips together for 

 the final. Lobelia, who had grandly worked her way into the 

 last four, had met the Irishman in the morning. At one 

 moment in the course it looked as if the idol would be 

 shattered, as Lobelia fairly held him, and had she killed at the 

 drain when she made her great effort, McGrath would never 

 have been hailed winner of a triple Waterloo. No sooner, 



A long jump 



however, had the hare crossed than the leviathan came like 

 great guns and snatched the verdict in a brilliant finish. 

 Meanwhile Bab at the Bowster had settled Ghillie Galium, who 

 made no show against her. Then came the tug of war : away 

 they went to a splendid slip and to a stout hare, and a shout 

 arose as it was seen the bitch was slightly leading. On 

 approaching the drain McGrath steadied himself, and clearing 

 it more smartly than the bitch, he scored first and second ; 

 Bab soon joined issue, and brilliant exchanges ensued ; then 

 McGrath drew Gut, and concentrating his forces in the marvel- 

 lous way so often noticed, he dashed in and effected a grand 

 kill, thus winning his second, but not his last, Waterloo. 



In 1870 the meeting was interrupted by frost, and an ob- 

 jection was lodged by Mr. Borron against the nominations of 



