15 



Osy Stewart came through from Dumfriesshire, to try and 

 " cut us all down, and hang us up to dry," but the ground 

 was too heavy for George, and I think, at the finish of the 

 day's work, they had only " two legs " between them to ride 

 home. A curious incident happened once to a horse belonging 

 to that prince of sportsmen, Mr. George Middleton. The 

 hounds met at Milliken Park, Mr. M. was riding a great 

 long-legged brute that went by the name of the " Camel- 

 Leopard," and in drawing a strip at Glentyan, when we got 

 to the top there was no way out the field, having to go back 

 and lead down, or drop into the road. The Camel got loose, 

 and running up to the end of the wood, jumped down a drop 

 of about twenty feet into the road, and, to the astonishment 

 of everybody, lit on his feet. The Camel could go when he 

 liked, though, as afterwards, on a bye day, when very few 

 were out, Mr. M. got away well from the covert, jumped a 

 tremendous high wall at the top, and had the hounds all to 

 himself away nearly to the Misty Law, where both fox and 

 hounds were lost. 



Mr. George Middleton was Secretary to the Hunt, and also 

 to the RN. Yacht Club, for many years. He was a thorough 

 all-round sportsman, and good at almost everything. Alas! 

 poor George! with his merry laugh and fund of wit, and who 

 always kept us in a roar when going down to the Meet, is no 

 more, but he has left two chips of the old block, who fully 

 sustain his " prestige." One of the sharpest things about this 

 time the L. and R. ever had was over the Fereneze hills. 

 While the field were coffee-housing, a fox jumped up on the 

 moor near the Game wood, just before the hounds, and only 

 about four or five who were near got away on any terms witli 

 them. They raced him down to Johnstone Castle without a 

 check to ground. John Harrison, or the old " stone wall 

 jumper," Mr. John Orr on his chestnut, Zezimus, Mr. D. 

 Hunter on his old mare, and your humble servant on Game- 

 cock, were the only ones that had the luck to get away, but 

 we were stumped at a high stone wall at Bardrain. There is 

 now an accommodating gate in this wall. A very long run 



