CERNE AND MINTERNE MEETING. XXXV11. 



Canon Ravenhill read some interesting extracts from the 

 diary of Admiral the Hon. Robert Digby, who resided on the 

 estate towards the close of the i8th century : 



1769, Jan. 6. Marked a plan for the plantation of firs 

 on Dogbury. 



1785, July 7. Arrived at Minterne about 6 o'clock 

 with Mrs. Eleanor Digby, " my little brown wife." (She 

 was a daughter of the Hon. W. Elliott, Governor of New 

 York.) 



1787, Nov. i. The north-east side of Dogbury, or 

 Mount Silver, planted with Scotch firs and larches. A 

 remarkably wet autumn. 



1790, March 15. Lane, the carter, died, who over- 

 turned " my pipe of port wine." 



1794. An earthquake. 



1800, July 13. Wheat i is. a bushel. Barley not to 

 be had. 



Nov. 12. The church tower quite finished. 



1799, Oct. 3rd. Received a letter from Harry Digby 

 at Plymouth with good news, no less than his having 

 brought in a Spanish frigate with a million and a half of 

 dollars, in company with the Naiad, Capt. Pierpoint ; the 

 Triton, Capt. Gower ; and the Ethelim, Capt. James 

 Young, who was left in chase of another Spanish frigate, 

 her companion, with a like cargo. The three millions of 

 dollars were carried in 50 military waggons from Plymouth 

 Dock and lodged in the citadel. (In connection with 

 this treasure capture, Canon Ravenhill gave an account of 

 Admiral Sir Henry Digby's remarkable dream.) 



1804, Oct. 4. Mrs. Digby had a note from Lord 

 Ilchester that His Majesty (George III.) would like some 

 buns as heretofore. 



Oct. 6. Sent buns to the King. 



1805,. July 13. Squirrels (which the Admiral had 

 encouraged on the estate), which never did any damage 

 before, had damaged a great part of the Scotch firs ; from 



