340 REMINISCENCES OF 



made an inspection of F. L. H. ; it took place on the 

 7th at Cupar. Returned to Pitsford on the loth. 



Whitehall was taken ill and died, and was buried 

 at Brixworth on i3th October. I then put John Pye 

 on to be stud groom. 



November, 1865. First Wednesday, Crick. I 

 had picked all the best horses, and put Dick on to 

 " Fresco," a capital little chestnut horse, which I 

 bought from Dick Painter. Found a fox in Crick 

 gorse, and ran down to Hillmorton. "Fresco" 

 would not jump over a stick ; he refused everything. 

 I gave Dick my mare " Valeria " and took " Fresco " 

 myself, but he was quite as bad with me ; would not 

 jump, and scrambled through everything. Next 

 time he came out Tom Firr rode him. Galloping 

 alongside of me he called out, " I could win the 

 Liverpool Steeplechase on this horse, sir ". Afte 

 that no one else ever rode him, and he carried Tom 

 all the time I had the hounds, and he rode him in the 

 Waterloo run. 



The cattle plague broke out in 1865-66, and 

 there was a great panic among the farmers. 



" DRAYTON LODGE, DAVENTRY, 

 " 26th December, 1865. 



" CAPTAIN THOMSON, 



" SlR,- 



" By the papers, you meet at Badby Toll 

 Gate on Saturday, and I suppose you intend to try 

 the coverts on my farm, Staverton Wood, etc. I am 

 sorry I cannot agree to the hounds going over my 

 land, as I have an opinion that there is great danger 



