COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 127 



Savage, the farm bailiff. Gopsall was full of foxes 

 and pheasants too. The Duchess of Beaufort and 

 the Duchess of Abercorn also used to hunt. 



George Moore of Appleby was one of my greatest 

 friends, and one of the best judges o( hounds. He 

 had a lovely breed of pointers, and had a sale every 

 year at Tattersall's. He used to get ;^5o apiece for 

 them, and then invited all his friends to dine at 

 Greenwich at the "dog dinner". 



The quality of his horses was not quite so good, 

 and old Bill Potter, the dealer at Talbot Lane, used 

 to say, " I don't know how Muster Moore can wriggle 

 across country on they tits ". 



Dick Aiken of Hartshill, one of my dearest 

 friends and the most useful man in the country, lived 

 on his own property and had extensive stone pits. 

 He looked after all the foxes during the summer, 

 and never missed a day's cub-hunting. 



Hampden Clement, at Snarestone, was a great 

 friend and a steady sportsman. 



Old John Moore, at the White House, Appleby, 

 George's uncle, was a capital sportsman. 



Captain Inge, at Thorpe, was a real good friend 

 to hunting. He was an autocrat, and loved every- 

 thing his own way. All the hinges of the gates used 

 to be oiled before hunting. He was never married, 

 and would not allow a child in the parish. He was 

 succeeded by his brother George, the parson, a most 

 eccentric and charming old gentleman, and a real 

 good sportsman. Whenever the hounds appeared 

 at Thorpe baskets full of hot mutton pies appeared, 



