NIMROUS NORTHERN TOUR. 209 



to an undertaker, " he takes no delight in his business," and he 

 bolted at the end of the season. He was succeeded, pro tern- 

 pore, by a well-known hand a still finer horseman, a still better 

 whipper-in, whose Christian name is Philip, 



" Poor Phil no matter who for when I blame, 



I pity, and must therefore sink the name," 



and this is all I shall at present say of him, except that being 

 sorely addicted to the merry sin of drunkenness, he could never 

 remain long in any sportsman's service, although he has been 

 in that of some of the best of them, which in part accounts for 

 his talent. Lord Kintore gave him every chance, but though he 

 promised fair at first, the reality dropped short, and he was of 

 -course discharged. This man for he is forty years of age 

 would be invaluable either with hounds, or as a second-horse 

 rider, could he resist his propensity to drink, which has brought 

 him to the very abyss of wretchedness. Feeling a respect for 

 his accomplishments, I read him a long lecture, but doubtless I 

 might have saved my breath. 



The character of these hounds and their owner may perhaps 

 be best appreciated by the insertion of the following paragraph, 

 from the Aberdeen Journal of October 2nd, 1835. 



DINNER AND PRESENTATION OF A PIECE OF PLATE TO 

 THE EARL OF KINTORE. 



" On Wednesday last a dinner was given to the Earl of Kintore, 

 -at Cooper's Inn at Turriff, by the Proprietors of Fox Covers in 

 that neighbourhood, and other gentlemen who are in the habit 

 of hunting with his lordship's hounds. Amongst those present, 

 we noticed Mr. Duff, of Hatton, Mr. Leslie, of Dunlugas, Mr. 

 Forbes, of Blackford, Mr. Urquhart, of Craigston, Mr. Leslie, of 

 Rothie, Mr. James Ramsay, Major Dunbar, of Mountcoffer, Mr. 

 Morison, younger, of Auchintoul, Mr. Nesbit, c. Sir Michael 

 Bruce, Mr. Grant, of Tillyfour, Colonel Gordon, of Park, Mr. 

 Bisset, of Lessendrum, and Mr. Buchan, of Auchmacoy, were 

 prevented by unavoidable circumstances from attending. Mr. 

 Morison was in the chair, and Mr. Leslie, of Dunlugas, acted as 

 Croupier. After the cloth was removed, and the health of the 

 King, the Queen, and the other branches of the Royal family 

 f had been drunk with all the honours, a very handsome Piece of 

 ' Plate, which it had been intended to present to the noble earl 

 .at the conclusion of the last hunting season, but which had ar- 

 rived too late, was placed on the table before the Chairman, 

 o, in proposing the health of his lordship with all the honours 



