NIMROHS NORTHERN TOUR. 265 



brush was given to me, and is now in my view, with this label 

 appended to it : " Forty-one minutes with Lord Kintore's 

 hounds, in the Turriff country ; very best pace, from first to 

 last, with only one trifling check, and no cast." 



Good as was the finish of the morning's sport, that of the 

 evening was not readily to be beat. We all dined with Mr. 

 Leslie, where we met a party of brother-sportsmen ; and another 

 peep into the Cask hunting-book affords me an extract which 

 best illustrates my meaning : " The finish was to a wish, on 

 the banks of the river Doveran well-earned blood in forty 

 minutes. Dined at Dunlugas, with the honest-hearted Scotch 

 squire. The pack hunted well and jovially together, and we 

 passed a real good old-fashioned fox-hunting night." To me, 

 however, this was a new-fashioned fox-hunting night, for I did 

 what I never did in my life before I tumbled down in the 

 drawing-room. But what of that ? It only proves the truth of 

 Jock Proctor's remark, that I am "nae mon for Scotland," in one 

 respect. 



Tuesday, 1 7th. Lord Kintore, the captain, and myself, dined 

 this day at Dalgety, the seat of General the Hon. Sir A. Duff, 

 brother to the Earl of Fife, who did us the honour to come from 

 Duff House to meet us. Moreover his lordship brought with 

 him something to amuse and interest all the party. This was a 

 lot of antique articles which had been a few days before dug up 

 on the hill of Macduff ; amongst which were a pair of bracelets 

 and a spear head, and also some ear-rings, enclosed in an 

 earthen jar, composed of what is called terra cotta, and sup- 

 posed to have been placed where it was found for security, or 

 perhaps as a votive offering to the manes of some illustrious 

 person. 



Our evening passed most agreeably, as indeed it could not 

 fail to do in the society of two such lively companions as our 

 host and his noble brother ; but one circumstance of more than 

 usual interest occurred, and particularly so to one like myself 

 a stranger to the social system of the country ; but one who is 

 of opinion that the kindly influence of rank and fortune is never 

 more powerful in its effects, than when extended to persons who 

 have conducted themselves properly and faithfully in the capa- 

 city of confidential servants. It happened that on this evening 

 the principal keeper of the Earl of Fife, and who had been for a 

 long series of years in the family, arrived at Dalgety for the pur- 

 pose of seeing the earl, and the general ordered him into the 

 dining-room, where a chair was placed for him by his side. 



Here then was a fine subject for a painter, as well as a pleasing 

 scene to the philanthropist ! Donald M'Kejizie such was his 



