HIS WALK TO PERTHSHIRE. 95 



with four hours in hand." He had, therefore, averaged 

 over forty-eight miles a day for seven consecutive days — 

 no mean feat. The original document setting forth the 

 terms of the wager, still in the possession of Mr. A. 0* 

 Worthington, seems worth reproducing here. 



"East Lodge, Needwood, Burton-on-Trent. I have 

 this day, July the 19th, 1881, accepted a bet of fifty 

 pounds to one shilling from Albert Worthington. I have 

 accepted a similar bet from Charles Wadham, to the effect 

 that I do not travel on foot from Burton, Tamworth, 

 Ashbourne, Tutbury, or Derby, to Auchlyne, in Perthshire, 

 in one week. The bet to be decided on or before the 

 31st of December, 1881. 



" (Signed) Frederick Cotton. 



Albert 0. Worthington. 

 Charles Wadham. 

 " Witness and stakeholder, S. E. Worthington (Mrs. A. 

 O. Worthington)." 



When Mr. Cotton arrived at his journey's end, he had 

 a couple of hours' sleep, and was then so little tired that 

 he talked of going out grouse-shooting the next day. 



He was the eldest son of the Rev. Henry Cotton of 

 Dalbury. There was hardly anything this versatile man 

 could not do. He could walk, dance, run, jump, box, 

 shoot, or ride with any one, besides being able to sing a 

 good song or act better than most amateurs. He also 

 had no little literary ability, and is well known as the 

 author of the most popular hunting song of the day. 

 He began life in Her Majesty's 100th Regiment of the 

 line, and was quartered, after serving in Canada, in 

 Manchester. He, however, very soon married the eldest 

 daughter of the late Charles Legh, Esq., of Adlington, 

 near Macclesfield, and, retiring from the service, took 

 the harriers given up by Mr. Hyde Smith, and lived at 

 the Mill House, Rocester. For some years he hunted 



