COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 83 



may he gallop over the wilds of Dartmoor with the 

 energy of a boy, and preside over you with the 

 courtesy of an English gentleman. I thank him 

 for his kindness to me ; I thank you for the honour 

 you have done me, and the cordiality with which 

 you have received me." 



After dinner they knocked for horses, being 

 bound to deliver them alive next morning. The 

 owner was allowed to have one bid. They put up 

 my horse and I bought him in at ^65. I sold him 

 next day to Mr. Davy for ^65. 



Some time after this Jack Russell and I were 

 staying with Mark Rolle. We hunted one day with 

 his hounds. Mr. Lancaster, who had a pack, offered 

 to mount us both next day. Rolle sent us over in a 

 carriage. It was a rum establishment. Chubb was 

 the huntsman, and Tom Wilton, now the hound 

 dealer at Shepherd's Bush, whipper-in, and George 

 Roebuck, feeder, who had been with me at Brixworth. 

 Mr. Lancaster broke at the end of the season, and 

 the men got no wages. 



We got back to Mark Rolle's, and when we sat 

 down to dinner Russell got on his horse with saddle- 

 bags, and rode home to do his Sunday duty. I said 

 to him, "I have never heard you preach". He 

 said, " Come over to-morrow ; I have the afternoon 

 service at Swimbridge ". 



I got a gig next morning and drove over to 

 Denningfton to lunch, and went to church with him. 



o 



He had a fine deep voice, and his reading was most 



impressive, and his preaching earnest and straight- 



6 * 



