I9o NIMRO&S NORTHERN TOUR. 



was all he said to me till we came to the change, when he cau- 

 tioned me against a shy leader, and once told me I was losing 

 time ; but he made us laugh when we got to the Captain's horses, 

 a few stages further. " David," said I, " why don't you put a 

 check rein on that off leader ? he makes my arm ache infernally." 

 " And mine, too/' replied David ; " but the Captain woona hae 

 nae cheek rein ; the Captain swears he na pulls ataal." " Very 

 likely," resumed I ; " but all arms are not so strong as the Cap- 

 tain's." We took up a link or two in his curb chain, however, 

 and my arm found the benefit of it. 



Precisely at the appointed time we were landed at M 'Cray's 

 hotel in Aberdeen, where a room and dinner were prepared for 

 us by order of Lord Kintore ; and it was our intention, next 

 morning, to have proceeded to Keith Hall after breakfast. Being, 

 however, aware that his lordship's hounds were then in his 

 Turriff country, and having heard some of Lord Forester's music 

 in the streets indeed we had observed symptoms of a change of 

 weather, in the shot thrown up from the wheels over the two last 

 stages it became doubtful whether we should proceed to Keith 

 Hall at all at this time, and whether Mr. Dalyell would not re- 

 turn home to hunt his own hounds on the Monday. But where 

 was David Roup ? We had desired him to come to us at the 

 hotel to receive the usual fee, yet we saw nothing of him that 

 night. But more of this anon. 



Early the next morning (Sunday) a servant from Keith Hall 

 appeared with a letter, altering, as we suspected, our course, and 

 directing us to be at Gash on the Monday, ready to take the field 

 on the Tuesday ; also informing us that we should have an ex- 

 cellent dinner and good company that day at the Provost Blakie's 

 in Aberdeen, who is his lordship's Delphic oracle on all profes- 

 sional matters. As far as myself was concerned this prophecy 

 was fulfilled, but Mr. Dalyell returned to his " darlings." The 

 cheer was good, the host a man after my own heart, barring his 

 knowing nothing of fox-hounds ; and the " company" con- 

 sisting of Lord Marcus Hill, Mr. Ferguson, M.P. for Banff, and 

 Major Johnson of the gallant 42nd regiment, then quartered in 

 the town of the right sort, and particularly so as the first-named 

 two, just arrived from London, were fresh from the focus of news. 



But what is this " more anon" of David Roup ? Why, finding 

 that in respect for Nimrod, I presume he did not intend to 

 "kick" his two passengers from Forfar, we sent for him to our 

 hotel, for that purpose, the next morning, and the answer re- 

 turned was " he would wait upon us after kirk ;" for, as we all 

 know, there is no coachmen in Scotland at work on the sabbath, 

 those on mails excepted. 



