COL. ANSTRUtHER THOMSON 135 



hear my horn, and it was so cold I thought I should 

 be frozen. At last Will Skene came to me. I stopped 

 at a farm at Hillfoot and got the water out of my 

 boots ; went on to Aldie Wood, found some roe-deer 

 and ran like devils ; had great difficulty in stopping 

 them. Wolfe-Murray, Peter Paterson, three John- 

 stones of Alva, Dempster and Robertson of Tyrie 

 were out. I remained at Blair Adam by myself after 

 the Adams went away. They gave me the key of 

 the cellar, and the old laundrymaid cooked for me. 

 It was a very foggy season ; I could never see 

 Benarty Hill in the morning. There was a tree 

 about a hundred yards from the house, and if I could 

 see it I knew it would do to hunt. Wyndham An- 

 struther stayed with me most of the season and used 

 to ride hirelings from Edinburgh. 



3rd December. — Hounds slept at Balbirnie. Met 

 at Auchmoor Bridge next day, and went home to 

 Charleton after hunting. John Balfour allowed me 

 to send hounds and horses to Balbirnie whenever 

 convenient. 



When I first took the Fife Hounds I told my 

 factor, Mr. Ballingall, to ask my tenant, old Mr. 

 Knox, if he would walk a puppy for me. He said, 

 " Na, na, I'll no tak' a beagle ; gin a plate is brock 

 in the hoose it's aye the beagle. I'll keep a staig till 

 him, but I'll no tak' a beagle." 



Frost lasted from 8th January, 1850, till end of 

 month. 



loth February. — Balbeggie. John Waite was 

 riding my second horse. He stopped to pay the 



