COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 213 



Hounds, I issued the following to members of Fife 

 Hunt : — 



" Fife Hounds. 



" At the last meeting I offered to hunt the 

 present East country two days a week for (;^ 1,200) 

 twelve hundred pounds. I do not think that it is 

 either right or expedient that the West country 

 should be abandoned. I consider that it is my duty 

 to do the best I can for the whole country. I 

 therefore make the following proposal : — 



" I will agree to hunt the country, including 

 Cullalo, Lochgelly and Blair Adam, three days a 

 week, for (^1,600) sixteen hundred pounds. If 

 there is a deficit, I should wish for five or six 

 subscribers to guarantee me two-thirds of the deficit, 

 and I will pay the other third myself, the deficit not 

 to exceed .;^i50. I could undertake this with my 

 present establishment. The question will then arise 

 for the proprietors of the hounds, What is to be done 

 with the West pack? Or I would hunt the whole 

 country four days a week for (^2,000) two thousand 

 pounds, with same condition as to guarantees. 



" If the gentlemen in the West see any prospect 

 of again establishing a pack, I will keep the hounds 

 for them during the summer, and give up Cullalo, 

 Blair Ai.dam and all the country to the West. 



"J. Anstruther Thomson. 



" jst April, 1887. 



" I would suggest that the guarantees form 

 themselves into a committee to obtain subscriptions." 



