328 REMINISCENCES OF 



"If the gentlemen who hunt with the Pytchley 

 Hounds in the open will not agree to any arrange- 

 ment by which the woodlands can be properly hunted 

 throughout the season, I shall be forced at last to 

 withdraw my coverts from the Pytchley, and make 

 arrangements with some other pack of hounds to 

 hunt them with the rest of the woodlands. 

 " Believe me, yours sincerely, 



" BUCCLEUCH. 



"J. Anstruther Thomson, Esq." 



" My Dear Duke,— 



" I am happy to tell you that I have carried 

 out my plan of hunting your woodlands. I have gone 

 down every Tuesday, and almost every time have 

 had a fair day's sport and got a fox. There are lots 

 of them everywhere, and I have met with the greatest 

 attention and assistance from all your people. 



" I have a favour to ask of you, and I hope that 

 you will not consider me presuming in doing so. 

 Hitherto I have travelled up and down with the 

 hounds myself and always had twelve hours of it. 

 After this week I intend to van the hounds down. 

 May I put the horses up at Boughton ? 



"Yours, J. A. T." 



"BoHiLL, Selkirk, 



" ^oth November, 1864. 



" My Dear Thomson, — 



" I found your letter of the 27th on my 

 return home from hunting yesterday, and am very 

 glad to hear you have carried out your plan of 



