HISTORY OF THE LINLITHGOW 



the steep incline to Longmuir at a tremendous 

 pace, and turning from the north-west corner of 

 the old covert, went on by Broomieknowes to 

 B'ormie, through that, round Cockleroi, and back 

 to B'ormie where they could no longer own the Una 

 At the finish, — hounds had then effected a point 

 of nearly six miles — Lord Hopetoun was heard to 

 remark, " Who says Hopetoun foxes can't travel." ^ 



When, in the month of January 1881, Major 

 Wauchope made known his intention of retiring 

 at the end of the season,^ it seemed possible that 

 Lord Hopetoun might accept the mastership, but 

 on the matter coming to be formally considered 

 his lordship stated that he was unwilling to take 

 the hounds at that time, although he would do 

 so rather than that they should be discontinued.^ 

 As it turned out, it was not necessary to fall back 

 upon this most sportsmanlike offer, for when 

 approached on the subject Mr Bussel of Dundas 

 Castle expressed his willingness to undertake the 

 management.^ 



Since it was understood that with this change 

 in the mastership there would probably be a change 

 in the Hunt staff also, Atkinson intimated his 

 resiofnation. No sooner had he done so than a 

 subscription list was opened for the purpose of 

 making him a gift worthy of his long period of 

 service in the Lothians, and in the following month 

 of July (1881) he was presented with a cheque for 



1 ' The Field,' 20th March 1880. 2 Minute-book, vol. i. p. 194. 



3 Ibid., p. 194. " Ibid., p. 196 et seq. 



254 



