26o NIMROHS NORTHERN TOUR. 



subscribe to have them sought for by the earth-stoppers and 

 staked, which would require being done once in three years, with 

 occasional inspection and repairing at the commencement of 

 every season. Iron gratings would be most effectual, but they 

 are liable to be stolen for the material, especially if made of 

 wrought iron. 



Tuesday, 10. Left Burnside with Major Wemyss, and drove 

 the Defiance to Stonehaven, all but one stage, when my com- 

 panion took the reins, and showed me that what I heard of his 

 coachmanship from Lord Kintore and others was true to the 

 letter, for he not only " drives very well of a gemman," as the 

 old-fashioned coachmen used to say, but he would do for the 

 Devonport Mail, and could no doubt bring 'em out of the Swan 

 with Two Necks, Lad Lane, on a trot.* It was David Roup's 

 turn to be at work our way, and many a joke passed between 

 .us not forgetting the captain's hard-pulling grey leader, whose 

 head, perhaps in compliment to me, was this night " tied back," 

 as David calls being driven with a check rein. On' our arrival 

 at Stonehaven, we found Captain Barclay with his dog Dan, in 

 readiness to receive us,, and in an hour from that time we were 

 seated at his dinner table, at Ury, as ready to do justice to his 

 mutton, after our drive, as our host was after his day's work,, 

 which consisted " only of a little moderate exercise " namely, 

 seventy-six miles, on horseback and on foot, between breakfast 

 and dinner ! Major Wemyss returned the next morning, per 

 Defiance, to hunt the following day with Mr. Dalyell, and I and 

 the Captain were booked by it in the evening, as far as Aber- 

 deen, on our way to Cask, to pay a second visit to Lord Kintore. 



Wednesday, II. At my last visit to Ury, the Captain had a 

 Marquis for his guest, and this day a butcher from Aberdeen 

 had the honour of a seat at his board, having arrived at Ury, in 

 the morning, on business. But observe, reader ! there are grades 

 in the class of butchers, as well as in other ranks, and Mr. 

 Williamson the butcher of Aberdeen for such is his name and 

 domicile is one of the archons of that celebrated city, a man of 

 large means, of high character, and as intelligent a companion 



* This reminds me of an anecdote of a friend of mine, a very good 

 coachman, but as his colour is black, I shall not name him. He was 

 coming off Epsom Downs, on a Derby day with a slap-up team belong- 

 ing to a certain noble lord, when one of his leaders becoming a little 

 hustled in the crowd at "the corner," a man stepped forward and put 

 his hand on the near- side horse's coupling rein. "Leave 'em alone, 

 sir," exclaimed my friend ; "I can bring 'em out of the Swan with Two 

 Necks on a trot" Many of my readers will know of whom I am 

 speaking. 



