COL. ANStRUTHER THOMSON 139 



a view at him in the open at Airdrie, and ran into 

 him before he could get home. 



The best farmer sportsmen were — Andrew Gul- 

 lane of Drumfin ; he knew all about it and was a real 

 sportsman. George Tod of Lochrin, a capital keen 

 man. Robertson ofTyrie, on the hills behind Milna- 

 thort, Dempster of Touchie, and Cunningham of 

 Dallachy. Morgan at Saline Den was a capital fox 

 preserver ; he did not ride, but said, " I am a keen 

 sportsman — I aye tak the hill tap ". 



Will Skene came from Turriff — Lord Kintore's 

 — a clean respectable man, but slow with hounds. 

 He went to Atherstone with me, then returned to 

 Fife, then to Forfarshire when Colonel Maule was 

 master, and to East Lothian under Major Fletcher, 

 and died there. 



Charles Pike came from Devonshire. He was a 

 fair whip, but an ill-conditioned fellow. I sent him 

 away in the middle of the season and put Dick 

 Smith on as second whip. He had been riding my 

 second horse. 



Pike afterwards became huntsman to Lord Hast- 

 ings when Master of the Quorn Hounds, a place 

 which he never was fit for. When he gave up. 

 Colonel Barlow, who managed for Lord Hastings, 

 asked me and Mr. Clowes to go to Quorn and look 

 over the hounds. All the dog hounds had kennel 

 lameness except four couple. 



Colonel Lowther meeting Pike in Leicester one 

 day said, "Well, Pike, what are you doing?" He 

 answered, " I've got the sack. Marquis has taken 



