62 Ikinss of tbe 1Rot>, IRifle, an& 0un 



to Forres, the Colonel proceeded leisurely by land to 

 Edinburgh, accompanied by Mr. Garrard, a young artist 

 of repute, destined to make a name for himself as an 

 animal-painter, whose spirited illustrations added greatly 

 to the attractions of Colonel Thornton's record of his 

 journey. At Edinburgh they were joined by the rest 

 of their party, Messrs. Parkhouse, Serle, and Stewart. 

 After laying in a further supply of stores to be 

 forwarded by waggon, and paying his devoirs to Mrs. 

 Siddons, who was then creating a huge sensation among 

 Edinburgh play-goers, the Colonel started off, driving 

 in a tandem, for Stirling. He fished and shot and 

 hawked as he travelled. And his sport with the rod 

 was phenomenal, for big fish swarmed then in every 

 loch and stream. The Colonel tells us that it was no 

 uncommon thing on Loch Bardowie, in Stirlingshire, 

 to kill forty large pike in a day. It was on this loch 

 that Colonel Thornton first tried " fishing with fox- 

 hounds ! " " The Fox-hounds," he writes in his diary, 

 " were now got ready, and after a short time they killed 

 nine very fine pike." And again : " We baited the fox- 

 hounds, and Merlin soon got a view." This is rather 

 puzzling, but the Colonel in a note condescends to give 

 the following explanation : 



"In order to describe this mode of fishing, it may 

 be necessary to say that I make use of pieces of cork 

 of a conical form, and having several of these differently 

 coloured, and named after favourite hounds, trifling 

 wagers are made on their success, which adds to the 

 spirit of the sport. The mode of baiting them is by 

 placing a live bait, which hangs at the end of a line 



