HISTORY OF THE LINLITHGOW 



plantation beyond. But the best was still to 

 come, and when the fox was viewed away from 

 this covert, hounds were close to him, and now 

 pursued him into a country consisting entirely of 

 grass intersected by stone walls, and quite un- 

 known to those who rode over it, until at the 

 end of an hour and ten minutes from the find, 

 they ran into him in the open at the foot of 

 Pappert hill in Lanarkshire. Unfortunately many 

 of the field, including Colonel Hare, were thrown 

 out by the Shotts railway, and only five horse- 

 men besides Atkinson, and one lady. Miss Alice 

 Hare, — upon whom both brush and mask were 

 bestowed, — were present at the finish.^ 



Atkinson's favourite horse at this time — probably 

 he never rode a better — was old Kingfisher, who, 

 had he been able to speak, could no doubt have 

 told that there were many long days as well as 

 long runs. It was a quarter to four when hounds 

 found their second fox at the Witch craig on the 

 3rd of April 1886, and an hour and a quarter 

 later when they ran into him near Callendar 

 House, some twenty -five miles from home. After 

 crossing the Avon to the west of Wallhouse only 

 four riders, including Atkinson, were left, the 

 pack running well together, and in full cry. Soon 

 two of the four, the master (Mr Menzies) and Mr 

 Falconar-Stewart, dropped off, then old Kingfisher 

 gave in, and only one, Mr Usher, was able to 

 last to the finish. With some diflaculty hounds 



1 ' The Scotsman,' 7th March 1887. 



268 



