146 REMINISCENCES OF 



seasons, and then came to me at Atherstone as 

 kennel huntsman. 



He was a good kennel huntsman and scientific 

 breeder of hounds. In the field he hunted a fox 

 steadily. He was only a middling horseman — not 

 very smart in appearance, and a good deal of " James 

 Pig " about him in his sayings and doings. He spoke 

 Scotch. When engaging him I said, " Well, Cross, 

 what about wages ? " He says, '' I dinna care 

 muckle for wages, but gi'e me a bellyful o' hunting ! " 

 His wages were ;^ioo a year, house, garden and 

 clothes, and no perquisites. He was a capital 

 servant, and an honest, respectable man, but he was 

 unfortunate in his selection of a wife. She was a 

 very handsome, well-educated woman, but addicted 

 to drink, and didn't pay proper attention to him. On 

 coming home from hunting and asking for some 

 dinner, she would say, " There's some nice milk, 

 bread and jelly for you ". 



I brought Will Skene as second whip, who had 

 been with me in Fife, and Jim McBride as second 

 horseman. He afterwards became huntsman to the 

 Quorn, and to Mr. Reginald Corbet in Cheshire, and 

 died in his service. 



Atherstone Hunt Ball took place on the i8th 

 December, 1850. Lady patronesses : The Countess 

 Howe, Honourable Mrs. Col vile, Lady Hartopp, 

 Lady Dixon, Mrs. Dugdale, Mrs. Wollaston, Mrs. 

 Anstruther Thomson. We had a capital party at 

 Atherstone Hall. Whyte-Melville and daughter, 

 afterwards Mrs. Wolfe-Murray, Hugo Meynell, my 



