COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 261 



spokes of the wheel had all collapsed. I also went 

 to Appleby and Wynstay, and returned home. Began 

 hunting on 25th September in Fife at Belliston. 



Will Clowes was going to be married to Lord 

 Waterpark's sister on the 2nd December at Oak- 

 over, Mr. Oakover having married her sister. He 

 asked me to be one of his trustees and to attend his 

 wedding, and I was to have four days out hunting. 

 I went up to Crewe and slept at the hotel there, 

 and next day met Meynell's hounds at Kedliston. 

 " Jacko" Paget (now Sir Ernest) was best man and 

 gave Clowes a silver hunting-horn. I gave Mrs. 

 Clowes a Scotch plaid and a pebble brooch. 



The next day I had a mount on " Sweet William " 

 with The Quorn, I think at Kegworth Jack Goddard, 

 huntsman ; Tom Firr, second whip. I was galloping 

 through a farm-yard ; a threshing mill was going, 

 and the ground covered with chaff and dust, and the 

 pond also. It all looked alike, and I galloped bang 

 into the pond and got wet through. I afterwards 

 got another cropper and lost my knife a real good 

 one out of my breast pocket. 



I then went on to Rugby, and John Darby gave 

 me a mount with the North Warwickshire, and I got 

 another cropper, and went on to Oakeley's at Cliff. 

 Next day, Atherstone Hounds at Sibson Wolds. 

 Oakeley mounted me on " Dice-box ". At the 

 second fence I jumped into a watering-place, the 

 horse rolled over my leg and it hurt a good deal, 

 but I put my foot into the stirrup and got on again. 

 On going through a gap a branch caught my toe, 



