COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 335 



Hotel. I found an invitation to dine at the Club with 

 Sir Arthur Grant of Monymusk. Met Vet. Lieut. 

 Young, Mr. Parker, riding-master of the Greys, and 

 Lieutenant Rundle, in command of New South 

 Wales Lancers. After dinner we went to a smoking 

 concert, where we met many of the N.S.W, Lancers. 

 It was not very lively, for they were all very shy, 

 being strangers. Young was in the chair, and a very 

 good chairman ; later in the evening the Provost came. 

 The Walers were very nice, smart fellows ; capital 

 horsemen. They were mounted on hirelings of 

 Player's of Edinburgh, and had plain saddles and 

 bridles, and many of them not properly bitted. 

 Sergeant-major Robson was a very fine man, and 

 good all round. Trooper Harkus won many prizes 

 at the Islington Tournament. They beat us in 

 every respect except jumping. The competitions 

 were much too numerous for the number of horses. 

 Our wretched horses had to go in every competition, 

 and were so tired they could hardly gallop. 



The Provost's lady was very kind. On Saturday 

 morning she came in her carriage and took us to 

 the University and other remarkable places in the 

 town. 



On Saturday the Lord- Lieutenant, Lord Aberdeen, 

 was present. We came away after the morning per- 

 formance, and went to Strathtyrum, where we met 

 Lord Airlie and his charming lady. He went to the 

 war in South Africa very soon after, and was wounded. 

 The very first day he rejoined his regiment he was 

 killed in action. 



