68 ashgill; or, the life 



Amongst the lords of the harem popular in '50 were 

 Alarm, who got a goodly crop of foals. Annandale was 

 not so fashionable as Bay Middleton, whom Lord 

 Clifden, Mr. Newcomen, Lord Chesterfield, Sir R. Pigot, 

 Mr. Greville, Lord Oxford, and Colonel Anson 

 patronised. Birdcatcher, in whom old John Osborne 

 strongly believed, was wooed by Blue Bonnet, AHce 

 Hawthorn, and Martha L^'nn, amongst other proud 

 dames. Lord Spencer went in largely for Cotherstone, 

 as also did Lord Clifden, with Sir Joseph Llawley, Mr. 

 Greville, Mr. Osbaldeston, and others in a lesser degree. 

 Lord Glasgow's leanings were for Don John, as also 

 were those of Sir Joseph Hawley and Lord Chester- 

 field. Faugh-a-Ballagh and Hetman Platoff were in 

 good demand from various breeders ; and Lanercost had 

 a large clientele of " sweet things " to dally with. 

 Touchstone was a great lady-killer, and sired a big crop, 

 his patrons including Mr. Watt, Lord Stradbroke, Lord 

 Westminster, Messrs. Tattersall, Captain Archdall, Sir 

 Charles Monck, Lord Exeter, the Duke of Richmond; 

 " Squire " Orde also sending brave old Bee's-wing to 

 Touchstone, whom Tom Dawson, of Tupgill, esteemed 

 "the best horse that ever put head through a bridle." 

 Bay Middleton was still in his prime, as were also 

 Orlando, Pantaloon, and Nutwith, the latter's services 

 being wholly appropriated for the season by Lord 

 Exeter, while Sir Tatton Sykes put no less than twenty- 

 nine mares to an unnamed son of Sleight of Hand. 



We now advance into the fifties, and John, rubbing 

 aside the cobwebs of his memory, continues — 



" In 1850 I rode Haricot, the dam of Caller 

 Ou, and won, if I remember rightly, a handicap 

 on her at Eadclifte Bridge. Maid of Masham 

 paid her way for us in 1851, winning. 



