COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 135 



hear my horn, and it was so cold I thought I should 

 be frozen. At last Will Skene came to me. I stopped 

 at a farm at Hillfoot and got the water out of my 

 boots ; went on to Aldie Wood, found some roe-deer 

 and ran like devils ; had great difficulty in stopping 

 them. Wolfe-Murray, Peter Paterson, three John- 

 stones of Alva, Dempster and Robertson of Tyrie 

 were out. I remained at Blair Adam by myself after 

 the Adams went away. They gave me the key of 

 the cellar, and the old laundrymaid cooked for me. 

 It was a very foggy season ; I could never see 

 Benarty Hill in the morning. There was a tree 

 about a hundred yards from the house, and if I could 

 see it I knew it would do to hunt. Wyndham An- 

 struther stayed with me most of the season and used 

 to ride hirelings from Edinburgh. 



3rd December. Hounds slept at Balbirnie. Met 

 at Auchmoor Bridge next day, and . went home to 

 Charleton after hunting. John Balfour allowed me 

 to send hounds and horses to Balbirnie whenever 

 convenient. 



When I first took the Fife Hounds I told my 

 factor, Mr. Ballingall, to ask my tenant, old Mr. 

 Knox, if he would walk a puppy for me. He said, 

 " Na, na, I'll no tak' a beagle ; gin a plate is brock 

 in the hoose it's aye the beagle. I'll keep a staig till 

 him, but I'll no tak' a beagle." 



Frost lasted from 8th January, 1850, till end of 

 month. 



loth February. Balbeggie. John Waite was 

 riding my second horse. He stopped to pay the 



