314 REMINISCENCES OF 



Tuesday. — South Staffordshire, Bassets Pole. 

 Lots of people, and a hundred bicycles on the side 

 of the road. Sam Pole out. The keeper there 

 came from Haddington, and came and talked to me 

 about John Atkinson and old friends. Going through 

 a gate got a wipe on the face with a branch ; cut my 

 eye and bled like blazes. 



Wednesday, i6th. — Atherstone Hounds, Cricket's 

 Inn. John Aiken met us in Tamworth, and drove 

 us on. Hunted on wheels and went to luncheon with 

 him at Bonehill. 



19th. — South Stafford. Point-to-point races. 

 Went in a 'bus with Yeatherds, Colonel Prior, 

 Major Crofton. A most rotten course with arti- 

 ficial fences. Prior won the heavy weights' race, 

 and Morris the light weights'. In the evening they 

 had a hunt dinner in the barracks ; Colonel Prior in 

 the chair. Sir Charles Foster attended, but had not 

 got a red coat. Frank shirked it, which was mean 

 of him. The regiment were very nice fellows. It 

 was a capital party, and they gave me a tremendous 

 reception, view-holloaing and cheering. [In Africa 

 very many of them were killed, among them Major 

 Yeatherd. Colonel Prior had just got a command, 

 was taken ill and died before he ought to have gone 

 out.] 



On Sunday evening I was coming downstairs 

 with heavy scrap-books and a candle with a glass 

 shade ; my foot slipped and down I went ; bashed 

 my head against the wall and cut a gash in it. Had 

 to go to the doctor next day to get it patched up. 



