Colonel Bnstrutbev tibomson 285 



to turn the hounds to him, nevertheless, unaided, kept 

 them on one h'ne, if not ahvays on the same fox, for 

 three hours and a half, till, with scent and light alike 

 failing, he stopped them at Medbourne Station as the 

 railway clock pointed to half-past five. During that 

 long and trying time Mr Anstruther Thomson had 

 ridden three horses to a standstill, and though he fell 

 several times, yet was never out of the way when he 

 was wanted. When the hounds were stopped they were 

 nineteen miles from their kennels, but, with the assistance 

 of Captain Clerk of Spratton, the Master got them safely 

 home to Brixworth by lo P.M. At 10.50 he sat down 

 to dinner, and at 11. 15 he drove off to the Hunt Ball at 

 Market Harborough. The fame of his great feat had 

 preceded him, and when he entered the ball-room he 

 received such an ovation as few, if any. Masters of Hounds 

 have ever experienced. 



In estimating this and other exploits of his in the 

 saddle, it must be remembered that Mr Anstruther 

 Thomson stood 6 feet 3 inches, and rode over 16 stone. 

 In consequence of his weight and bulk he found it 

 expedient to crash through, rather than fly, the North- 

 amptonshire fences. ' His nerve,' says Mr Nethercote, ' in 

 plunging into a brook, chancing the bottom and strug- 

 gling on to the opposite bank, was a sight to watch 

 rather than a tempting example to follow.' 



In 1869, amid universal expressions of sincere regret, 

 'the long Scotch gentleman,' who had shown such 

 magnificent sport as will never be forgotten in 

 Northamptonshire, announced his intention of resigning 

 the Mastership of the Pytchley. At a great dinner 

 given at the George Hotel, Northampton, Colonel iJbyd- LoVel / 

 Lindsay (afterwards Lord Wantage) on behalf of 375 c* 



