NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 369 



of those thousand open drains, which are the cause of so much disap- 

 pointment in Scotch fox-hunting ! I was again mounted by Captain 

 Peter Hay on Sir Edmund. 



The evening of this day made great amends for the disappointment of 

 the morning. Our party at Mount Melville, which included Mr. Earle, 

 were asked to dine at Strathtyrum, the fine seat of Mrs. Cheape, near 

 the town of St, Andrews — a widow lady I believe. Like most widow 

 ladies who give dinners, Mrs. Cheape gave us a sumptuous one, and to 

 no less than twenty-one persons which our party consisted of, being on 

 the occasion of the arrival of a newly married couple, her relations, who 

 were present. And here I wish to correct a mistake, or, I should rather 

 say, what might be considered an error in judgment, on a point I should 

 be sorry to be thought deficient in. I was asked by the lady who sat on 

 my right, if I did not admire the bride ? I answered — supposing my- 

 self in France, ^^ passable '/' But the fact is, I was under a mistake 

 as to which of the numerous young ladies in the room was the handsome 

 bride, for handsome she really was. 



Wednesday, February 4. Left Mount Melville with Mr. Dalyell, 

 and met his hounds at Fotheringham-lodge, about eight miles from Dun- 

 dee. The following account of the day's sport appears in my note book. 

 ** First fox, — thirty-two minutes, and killed. Second fox, — twenty 

 minutes to ground. Tres bienfaitj" So much for living in France. 

 Time was, when I should not have used such mongrel language as 

 this. 



Thursday, 5. Left Burnside with " Archy Douglas," to dine with 

 Captain Rait, at Arniston, near Montrose, on the great north road, 



3 B 



