HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. 115 



bold and fearless rider. On one occasion I, 

 knowing the country well, cautioned him about 

 the fence we were coming to. " I will take my 

 chance," was his reply. I know it is quite true 

 what Mr. Wood says of the Duke's kindness of 

 manner. He was for some time at Dover, and 

 constantly with some connections of mine whose 

 father commanded the 17th Lancers, and later 

 on his son also was Colonel of that Regiment. 

 Both father and son were named Dosey — the 

 name sticks to the son to this day ; but, to return 

 to the Duke — I am always getting off the line, 

 and running riot, aand many a raking should I 

 have got if I had been a fox hound — His Royal 

 Highness spent a good deal of time with this 

 family, but great was their astonishment when 

 the girls, terribly nervous of course, were going 

 through the ordeal of a first drawing room, he 

 stepped out of the circle of royalties surrounding 

 the Queen and shook hands with them. On 

 one occasion when hunting he cantered up to 

 my brother, and with the greatest deHght said, 

 " Why, Tawke, you are on fire " — and, true 

 enough, a box of matches had caught fire in my 

 unfortunate brother's breeches pocket, and they 

 were slowly burning off. 



My next series will cover the three years enjoyed 

 under the Mastership of Captain Kemble. 



