COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 117 



CHAPTER IX. 



ATHERSTONE: FIRST TIME. 



While quartered in Royal Barracks, Dublin, I went 

 over to Leamington on the i8th March, 1847, to 

 attend the Military Steeplechase. I heard that there 

 was a vacancy in the Vale of White Horse, so I 

 went down to Cirencester. The country was hunted 

 by a committee, of which Mr. Raymond Cripps was 

 a member. He lent me a white pony, and I saw a 

 capital hunt. John Dinnicombe was huntsman, and 

 Jim Stacey, a humpbacked man, first whip. As they 

 were satisfied with present arrangements, I made no 

 offer, and returned to Leamington next day. A few 

 days after, while talking to some friends in the street 

 at Leamington, Pat Gordon (afterwards Mr. Gordon 

 Canning) said, " Peter Col vile is giving up the Ather- 

 stone. Why don't you take them .'* " After con- 

 sidering a moment, I said, "By Jove! I will". I 

 wrote to Peter Colvile, my old friend (his name is 

 Charles). He replied he thought it would do, and 

 asked me to come over to Atherstone. I tele- 

 graphed to Dublin for a horse, and went out hunt- 

 ing on him next day ; I then went over and stayed at 

 Atherstone. 



A meeting took place soon after, and my offer 



