Thawing. 199 



fetch. Bidders were shy ; he was jounp^, very hand- 

 some, and a good mover, so I thought I would have 

 a bid, and he was at once knocked down to me for 

 20 guineas. When I got him home, I felt satisfied 

 that there must be something very much amiss, or he 

 would not have been drafted from such a stable. I 

 had him carefully tried, miuutely examined by a clever 

 vet, and finding nothing wrong, I put him in my cab, 

 and drove him to Curzon Street, where I learnt that 

 he had been purchased for 120 guineas, and being re- 

 turned time after time when sent on job, in conse- 

 quence of his casting his shoes, he was condemned, 

 and thus became my property, and I drove him for 

 years and never knew him to throw one. Another 

 harness horse, purchased for 27 guineas, could have 

 been sold over and over again for £100, and I cannot 

 call to mind, out of the many I have purchased in St. 

 Martin's Lane, ever being " picked up," though I did 

 buy a " flatcatcher " once, but he was so good-looking 

 that I got out of him without loss. 



Something like 250 horses pass through the hands 

 of Mr. Freeman weekly, as well as many carriages, 

 and studs of greyhounds, and it is an amusing sight 

 to observe the motley group that assemble in the 

 yard on sale days, and to witness the rapid disposal 

 of the number of useful animals that are knocked 

 down to the ^highest bidder at this excellent insti- 

 tution for the sale and purchase of every description 

 of draught or saddle horse. From thence I travelled 

 to King's Mews, Gray's Inn Lane, in order to see an 

 old acquaintance, Mr. Banks, who for the last twenty- 

 four years has carried on this well-known commission 

 business on his own account, assisted by his sons. It 



