THK HORRORS OF HORSEMANSHIP. 
515 
from being an easy one—though I was thoroughly conscious of 
the insecurity of the tenure by which I held it, still I was, com¬ 
paratively speaking, relieved from immediate apprehension, and 
was beginning to indulge the hope that all might yet we well, 
when M. called out, Now for a smart trot.’^ 
“ O Lord !” said I, involuntarily, and on we trotted. 
“ You are riding faster than your horse, sir,” said my elderly 
companion, in a satirical tone. 
“ Bless me, Mr. B.!” said the volatile young lady, you are 
very active. Why, you rise so high in your saddle, I think 
every moment you will hit your head against the clouds.” 
This ho-rse tro-ts ve-ry high,” uttered I, in broken accents, 
as I best could, the huge beast I was riding throwing me up and 
down in the most unmerciful manner. I all but lost my stirrups 
tw^enty times, and had to hold by the pummel constantly. It 
was a broiling day : my face became like a' furnace through 
exertion and fear. These sufferings, at the same time, w^ere in¬ 
tensely aggravated by my overhearing the grooms, wdio rode be¬ 
hind, laughing and enjoying the exhibition I was very unwill¬ 
ingly affording them. My companions, I perceived also, with I 
believe the exception of M. himself, began to suspect the true 
state of the case. At length w'e drew up for a few moments : it 
was, however, but a short respite. Open the w'icket,” said M. 
to the grooms, “ that we may get on the sod.” 
The groom did as he w'as ordered. 
“ I’ll wait on the road for you,” said I, puffing and blowing, 
for I had a wholesome dread of the sod. 
“ Oh,” said he, “ we are not coming back this way; w-e pro¬ 
ceed through the fields. Come along.” 
“ Now,” thought I, “ for the trial.” I w^alked Sam in as 
quietly as I could, and practised a thousand frauds in order to 
keep him perfectly placid. I allow^ed him to put dowm his head 
and nibble a little grass. Perhaps,” thought I, “ horses may 
have gratitude.” 
Presently one of the young ladies of the party began to urge 
on her steed into a quicker pace. Now for a gallop,” said 
Miss L. 
Immediately all the horses began to shew that restless spirit 
which usually seizes them when one of their species exhibits any 
sign of accelerated motion. Sam happened at'this time to be 
absorbed with his nose in a rich bunch of clover; for anticipat¬ 
ing the mouvement” as the French politicians say, I had no 
longer confined him to an occasional nibble ; but hoping to draw 
off his attention from the transactions of his neighbourhood, had 
given him license to feast himself ad libitum on the dainties with 
\vhich he was surrounded. But, notwithstanding all my pre- 
