COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 45 



of them, and I am sure we had better not touch 

 them now. And now about men. I tried to get 

 the huntsman for a feeder, but he won't have it ; 

 though both here are devoted to their pack and will 

 do anything to stay with them. The whip would 

 like to come to you. He is a good-looking, smart 

 chap, aged thirty-one, a widower, with two children. 

 He would leave them behind him. He weighs ten 

 stone ; seems to have a good way with hounds ; 

 and Colonel Pryse gives him the highest character 

 in every way. He says he has a good voice, is a 

 capital rider, and is careful of his horses, and con- 

 sidering the country hardly ever tires one. He has 

 acted almost entirely as feeder, and I never saw such 

 condition. On the whole, I should take him if I 

 were you, as he knows the hounds, and from what I 

 saw they are rather queer-tempered ones in kennel. 

 I have settled he shall come up on Tuesday, and see 

 you at the kennels on Wednesday morning. Colonel 

 Pryse, now the rain is over, wants to have 

 another hunt or two, next week, as the foxes have 

 been killing lambs ; and I could not say I would 

 have them sooner, as I asked him to keep them in 

 the first instance until the 23rd. He brought in his 

 young entry, and made me pick a couple and a half 

 They are very late ; but I picked a real nice bitch 

 and two fair little dogs, and do not think I took the 

 worst. You ought to try and run them as much as 

 you can in one lot next year. 



" Yours ever, 



" E. Oakeley." 



