FISHEB'S LAST HERD 25 



ating with a Booth Mantalini and a Mistress Mary ; 

 a descendant of the champion Rosario from Arabella, 

 a Cold Cream from Windsor, a Certainty from Bra- 

 with, and a fine representative from Ingle wood. 



It was far on in the afternoon of life for the brave 

 little man, but with the Colly nie- bred Christmas 

 Present (63,793) from Bap ton Manor he began to 

 bring his composite materials under subjection. The 

 old red Cruickshank Captain of the Guard (58,596) 

 was the notable stock bull a few years afterwards. 

 He also came from Bapton Manor. By 1898 Mr 

 Fisher began to feel the burden of years. He re- 

 solved to sell off. " What would you do if you had 

 your life to begin again and now ? " the writer asked 

 him at Croftinloan on a glorious day shortly before 

 the sale. The Tummel was singing dreamily on its 

 course to the Tay, there was a shimmering tremble 

 on the heather, and the woods of Dunkeld and Atholl 

 were almost beginning to play with the harmonies 

 of autumn. " I would take the finest of the Knight- 

 ley females, and I would put to them the best Quaker 

 (Cruickshank) bull that money could buy," said the 

 veteran. His sale in perfect sunshine on the second 

 last day of August was a success. Mr John Thornton 

 was in his very brightest mood on the rostrum, and 

 at the finish Mr Fisher made one of those deftly- 

 phrased little speeches of which he was such a master. 

 Fifty head averaged 45, 15s. 2d., the average for a 

 fine lot of two-year-old heifers being 60, 2s. 9d. 

 The agent for the Prince of Wales paid the top 

 price of 140 gs. for Cora, a handsome two-year-old 



