COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 31 



In August, 1835, while I was at Dresden, I was 

 gazetted to the 17th Lancers. Lord Lucan com- 

 manded the regiment at that time. My guardians 

 considered I was too young, and requested the 

 Commander-in-Chief, Lord Hill, to cancel the com- 

 mission. A few months afterwards Lord Rosslyn, 

 then Colonel of the 9th Lancers, offered me a com- 

 mission, which was accepted with the understanding 

 I was to have six months leave. 



It was a tremendous hard winter, the ther- 

 mometer 30° below zero. People had their ears 

 frost-bitten while crossing over the bridge. 



We made great friends with the Cherini family. 

 He was General in the Saxon army. He had a 

 charming daughter, and his son had got a commis- 

 sion in the Austrian army. I was just appointed to 

 the Fife Yeomanry, vSir Ralph Anstruther's troop, 

 and he sent me a uniform. The jacket was almost 

 the same as the 9th Lancers. 



One evening we put on our uniforms, and Cherini 

 said mine was pr'dcJitig. His was white coat, knee- 

 breeches and gaiters. 



Towards the end of the winter Gordon went 

 home and Lethbridge and I went to Prague. The 

 snow was tremendously deep, and the roads so bad 

 that ropes were tied to the top of the diligence and 

 men hung on to them at the bad places. 



We went on to Vienna and remained there till 

 the weather got better. We then bought a carriage 

 and posted all the way to Nancy. Passing Nancy we 

 went to the salt mines. 



