254 REMINISCENCES OF 



On 1 6th December, 1862, xki^ Fife ahire Journal 

 writes: "The Cupar troop dined at the Royal 

 Hotel, Cupar, and presented Captain Thomson with 

 a timepiece ; his wife with a brooch, and his son with 

 a hunting-whip. The timepiece had the following 

 inscription : ' Presented to John Anstruther Thomson, 

 Esq. of Charleton, by the non-commissioned officers 

 and privates of the Cupar troop in testimony of their 

 high appreciation of his services as their Captain and 

 of his unwearied zeal in organizing and maintaining 

 the efficiency of the troop'." The chair was taken 

 by Sergeant-Major Bell. 



On 4th February, 1863, Lord Wemyss was 

 presented with his picture, painted by Gourlay 

 Steele, at a dinner at Coldstream, and Mr. Robert- 

 son invited me to go to Ladykirk, where I met Lord 

 Dalhousie, Mr. Surtees ("Soapy Sponge"), etc. 

 Lord Dalhousie commenced his speech, " No hound 

 ever harked to holloa more readily than I did when 

 invited to do honour to my old friend," etc. 



Next day we hunted at Wark Common. Old 

 Cotton was then stud groom to Mr. Robertson. 

 He had been with me when quartered at Limerick. 



This year Lord Stamford gave up the manage- 

 ment of the Quorn Hounds. The sale took place 

 on 9th May. I went to Bill Clowes at Woodhouse 

 Eaves on the 7th and met Lord Henry Bentinck, 

 Mr. Cradock, M.F.H., etc. Will Clowes was at 

 that time successor to Lord Stamford as Master of 

 Quorn Hounds. On the i ith we went over to the 

 Belvoir kennel, Clowes, his brother and I, Jack 



