may be, a gentle wave "from the prettiest hand in the world," assure him that his devoir's done. After some considerable delay for those "slow coaches," who are, however, tolerably "fast" ones when once set going, the hounds were thrown off, and almost immediately found their fox in the brushwood growing on the face of the Egg rock, when break he did right gallantly, whirling his brush o'er his back, as though in game defiance of his staunch pursuers, who merrily opened on him, with a melody which sent the hot blood throbbing and boiling in warm gushes through the veins, and was of itself quite sufficient to make any man, even with half a heart, ride, were he mounted, witch-wise, on a broomstick. "See Hickson is gallantly charging a stile, What a burst it will be you may guess from his smile; And of a verity there was no time for opening gates or "knocking off a stone;" a moment's delay might cause a man to lose "the whole thing," for a burst it was, and no mistake. Reynard, with the hounds at his brush, making off straight through the long grass fields and yawning double ditches of Ballinuck, running to save his life in the earths at Carrignafeelagh, which, sure enough, he tried, but finding "the shop shut" changed his course, slapping off best pace, by Shanavalla, through the lawn of Rathany, getting into which a five-foot wall proved a nolle prosequi to the majority of the field, and running thence through the deep ground betwixt the house and mail-coach road, a check occurred; but the field being here, like the visits of angels, "few and far between,' there was nothing to press or hurt them, so recovering scent after a moment's interruption, at it they went again, and absolutely raced to Cloher chapel, where puggy traversed down towards Maglass, and there, at a boggy fence, as joyous a spirit as ever sat a horse by day, or stretched his legs beneath mahogany by night, got his quietus for a time (more of which anon). But no bones having been broken he was up again in short space; but time and tide wait for no man, and in a fox hunt he must be cool indeed (if nothing worse) who will hold a hard check for his brother, once he sees him on his pins: so was it with my worthy friend, once tallied on his legs, no brother sportsman stood to help him to his saddle, and being "tarnationly blown," I trow but little more of that day's sport saw he-worse luck, for this "little red dog" gave a splitting twenty minutes of it to the earth at Craig, which finding stopped before him, and being now fairly run to a burst, as a last resource he flung himself into a deep ditch, thinking no doubt thus "to save his bacon;" but it was "no go:" Traveller saw the dodge, and coming closer than the "little gentleman in scarlet" * In whatsoever clime these pages may meet the eye of my excellent and valued friend, Captain M--, of the Rangers, I feel assured he will with pleasure call to remembrance this run, and think, perhaps, with some remnant of our ancient good fellowship over him, whose hand now traces the record of it. found either safe or pleasant, he was compelled to get up once more before them, and try what speed could do. Two minutes settled itpoor puggy, driven to desperation, plunged into a deep river, determined as it were to commit felo de se, as many a man has done before now, when not near so closely pressed by those plagues of life yclept duns, but was rescued from his untimely end by Mr. C, of the 70th, who with a goodly attendance in his wake, secured the varmint without a scratch, the hounds being unable to mouth or hurt him--thanks to the 'crystal stream." 66 66 Now, dear Mr. Editor, having run so long on credit," it would but ill become me to trespass much further on your space; I must, then, draw towards " a finish." Suffice it to say, that obliged to be in Dublin on the Monday following the run I have but just imperfectly described, I failed not to be present on Saturday, when this self-same fox was turned out at the same place, and afforded just as sporting, and longer run over the same line of country, except that at Cloher Chapel: no doubt remembering how badly his "trip to the lowlands" had served his turn upon a former occasion, he windlassed for the mountain's side, where strength and endurance being called to the test, and both being rather rare qualities to find, the field thinned in accordance, and bellows to mend became the general cry. Ere half a mile was sped over, but three were riding with or near the hounds, and of these one was showing evident symptoms of being "completely gruelled;" a rasping bank, at which, to do his owner justice, he was put right pluckily, "took what was in him out," and unable to rise a canter, much less rise at his leaps, his owner was perforce compelled to cry Peccavi! I have had enough.' Whip and spur, with the blessing of somewhat more wind than their neighbour, helped his comrades across; and struggling on, now neck and neck amidst the rapturous cheers of the excited spectators, who on all sides thronged the ditches, ere long a loud who-whoop! borne on the breezes of the evening, proclaimed to the stragglers far away down the valley, that the death interpris had taken place, and that the fun was all over all over!! What sad reflections take their rise from this sentence! 'Twas my last run for the season, and who can tell whether I shall be e'er permitted to look upon another? Alas! for poor Reynard; his pate now hangs in triumph over the horse's head who carried me so stoutly and so well throughout that live-long day; to him I owe a debt of gratitude for being in my place, and in that place so safely; and wherefore should it not be paid? May his worthy owner long live to value, own, and ride him through many a good and joyous run; and when, upon the evening of some hunting day, he narrates to those "who come to enjoy a weed in the stalls" the history of each wily pate that hangs around, let him, remembering his friend, point up to one in particular, as proof of what "a mere pony," if but come of high descent, can do, even when carrying a long-legged fellow of fourteen stone." Thus far, then, gentle reader (how comes it that all readers are gentle ?) have we travelled on in company; a few lines further and we must separate-it may be for ever: but if the journey has at any time proved wearisome to thee, as most long journeys will, it is at least refreshing to know that we are now "going over the last stage" together; and as "the knowing whip" reserves his best canter for the 66 street which conducts to the hotel where his coaching terminates, so even have I reserved the following "DARING FEAT," as a suitable finish to this "my o'er tedious scribble." "I saw you kiss your mother, Dining at the mess of the "Indomitable Rangers," on the evening of the very last run I have so imperfectly described, I there witnessed an exploit performed, which I believe has never yet been equalled, and I do think never will be excelled. The cloth having been drawn, social converse replaced the cool formality which is, by some mischance or other, almost the invariable attendant upon dinner parties; and as might be expected amongst a party where all were sportsmen, and on the evening of a hunting day, when a good fox had shown much sport, the topic chosen was the various particulars of the run, and the mode in which each hunter had done his work. twice, M," remarked a brother officer to him whose "peril" has been before recounted: "believe me, that mare of yours is not just the thing'"--and here, from all sides, followed many good-humoured criticisms upon the jumping qualities of my friend's prad, to which he (highly delighted at having such an opportunity afforded him "for a lark") lustily protested the mare should practically reply, by then and there popping over the mess table. The groom being immediately summoned, received in silence, and as may be imagined with staring amazement, his master's order to "saddle Gamestress, and bring her in." Many of those present tried to stay the proceedings, but 'twas now too late; a wilful man, strong in the justice of his cause, would have his way, and in she came accordingly, much to the consternation of the company assembled, who heard her tramp, tramp! up the boarded passage, knocking out of it the sound of at least a troop of heavy horse. Mounted by Mr. Bailey, amidst the glare from wax lights and a blazing coal fire, she actually jumped across the mess table (good four feet and a-half), without laying an iron to it, and landing safe, stood gentle and quiet as a lamb, upon the floor, under which (as though to increase the hazard of the deed), lay a wine-cellar of from 10 to 12 feet deep. Comment upon this were but to spoil it: no words of mine could possibly add colouring to the éclât of such a feat; nor were such within my power, would I wish to exercise them. The unvarnished tale of truth is told, my task is done; but that it may go down to posterity, in the words of the poet Pope Mr. Editor, farewell. If I have relieved but an hour of ennui, or dissipated from my readers, but for a moment, the anxious cares inherent to "man's estate of troubles here below," these pages have not been written in vain, and I have gained my full reward. Having come with me through so long a run, rate me not for my "many faults," but accepting my most hearty good wishes for the continued success of "Old Maga," believe that I am a devoted admirer of all that appertains to sporting, and so, most faithfully yours, AN OLD PATE. AN ADVENTURE IN WICKLOW. BY DIE VERNON. Those who have travelled only on the broad turnpike roads of old England, or lolled in luxurious ease in the first-class carriages of the Great Western, can form but a slight idea of the misery of a "lionizer " in Wicklow, doomed to sit behind a hack-horse in an Irish jaunting-car, and moving amongst ruts and stones, with an upward, downward, sideway motion, at the rate of perhaps three miles in the hour. "Slowly and sadly" had we proceeded since eight o'clock that morning in our course forward. Fortunately, everything has an end (1 had almost said with the exception of an Irish journey), and at last we were somewhat relieved from our misery by Pat's exclaiming, "Och! sure, leddies, and as I can't drive ye up to St. Kevin's bed, it's yourselves that must get down here and walk." For the first time now we observed that the horizon was shrouded in a dense mass of black clouds; that one of those hurricanes, that sweep like a simoom over the cloud-capped mountains of Wicklow, was gathering around us, and would in all probability descend on our devoted heads before an hour was over. To be so near St. Kevin's bed, however, and to return without visiting it, I could not for an instant think of; and ignorant of the fury of a mountain tempest, and disregarding the entreaties of my friends and the advice of the guide, I made up my mind to dare "the pelting of the pitiless storm," and rather share Kathleen's fate in the waters of Glendalough, than swerve from my determination to follow her path to the retreat of her beloved. Interlocked by immensely high mountains, whose black face of rock rose on two sides perpendicularly from its sluggish waters, lay the lake of Glenda. The wind had already lashed it into billows, which rose as with an effort, and then fell heavily on the small gravelly beach towards which we were approaching. No sign of vegetation or life was apparent about or around it: the rocks at the head of the lake, whose mysterious recesses were veiled in darkness, seemed the boundary betwixt the visible and invisible world; whilst the lake, which resembled in appearance the blackness and thickness of ink, imagination painted as containing the waters of Lethe, or receiving those of the Styx. We were now standing on the little beach before-mentioned, silent and awed by the wild grandeur of the scene. It looked the lake of Despair, shunned by all, even, as is generally supposed, by all birds, and the two lines recurred forcibly to my recollection in Moore's ballad of the legend "By that lake whose gloomy shore Skylark never warbles o'er." "Look at the perpendicular face of that rock," said the guide, pointing to one at some distance, which rose gloweringly from the lake on our left; "there lies the bed of St. Kevin." I turned my eyes in the direction to which he pointed, and the sight was not one to inspire courage into any mind. "Three people have been lost in the attempt, you know," urged one of my companions; "pray, pray give it up.' I hesitated an instant-I loved my friends, and was grieved to cause them so much anxiety who had done so much for my pleasure; whilst, on the other hand, it would have been a serious mortification to have given up what I had so much thought of, and longed for. The guide again interposed, saying that it was already late for the enterprise, and the shadows of evening were coming on so thick and fast, that if we intended going we must start instantly. This determined us (for out of our party of four my cousin alone had joined me), and bidding the others adieu, and receiving their warm wishes for our safe and sound return, we followed the guide up a small steep path, which rose over the mountain to our left. We continued on this for some distance, walking silently and as quickly as the ascent would allow of, and then turning to our right continued our way on a more level surface, walking over a short dry heather that sloped to the hedge of the cliff. The wind which had blown hard all day, had now risen to a hurricane, and came on in gusts that obliged us to stoop beneath it, and to wait till its fury was past, ere we could proceed. The guide walked as close to me as the narrowness of the path would permit, keeping up my courage by assurances that he would do his utmost to reach the bed of St. Kevin, and congratulating me on the exploit of which I could afterwards boast. Our road gradually became more difficult, and exceedingly slippery, and the frequent gusts of wind rendered it no easy matter to maintain our footing. I was now obliged to hold firmly by the guide, and shuddered as I perceived that any false step must have carried us into the lake below. Under the impression that increased action of the body diminishes in proportion that of the mind, I hurried on in spite of the remonstrances and entreaties of our conductor, to reserve all my strength against the time when I should still more need it. "Surely we shall have nothing more difficult than this!" I exclaimed; but at that instant, rounding a projecting part of the cliff, I was convinced of my error, and greatly alarmed at the disappearance of my cousin, who had preceded us a few yards, and now was nowhere to be seen. We were standing on a slippery bit of heather that sloped precipitously to the edge of the perpendicular cliff on our right, whilst on our left the mountain rose steeply, and before us at some distance terminated in abrupt and rugged rocks. "By my scwl! but the young gintleman is lost!" cried the guide, in the greatest agitation, running forward and endeavouring to make his voice heard above the howling of the storm. Deprived of my support, I leant down and grasped the heather, and a violent squall sweeping over the mountain obliged me to throw myself flat on my face, and scream for the assistance of the guide, who, however, was not able to reach me till it was past. Advancing a few steps we discovered, to our great relief, my cousin, who had made his way down the rocks before us, and was now scrambling about at their base. The guide having succeeded in making him understand he had lost his way and must return, informed me I must now prepare to make |