COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 73 



had been standing, got the print of my horse's feet, 

 and walked on " spooring heel way," and picked up 

 my watch. 



1872. — In the beginning of January I went up 

 to Atherstone for a few days, and wrote a report of 

 the proceedings to my boy at Torquay. 



"Cliff, 

 "Monday, i^th January, 1872. 



" My Dear Jack, — 



" Pretty hard frost this morning ; met at 

 Red Gate. I rode an old horse of Newdegate's and 

 a thoroughbred mare of Harry Boucherett's ; lots 

 of people out. Found in a little square cover near 

 Lindley House which we drew in the frost ; ran 

 into Lindley Gorse. Three foxes came in, out at 

 top end and up to Ambion. I cut on and viewed 

 him away before the hounds got in ; ran up to 

 Stapleton Rough and lost him ; went on to Kirkby 

 and got on him again, and fresh found him ; ran to 

 Stapleton village and back fast to Ambion. Here 

 we had seven or eight on foot, and changed and 

 holload for a long time — so long that I ate bread 

 and cheese and sat at the fire in old Bradfield's 

 house — and at last came away towards Bosworth, 

 and stopped the hounds on account of Sir A. Dixie's 

 death. 



"We came down to the brook where I tumbled 

 in with ' Whalebone ' last year. Charlie Newde- 

 gate told me the mare would not jump water, so of 

 course I expected to tumble in again, but I did not. 

 Bailey funked it and positively stopped, and Will 



