COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 85 



1 1 o'clock. Went up to Melbury, had some food 

 and saw the house and garden ; a beautiful new 

 library just built. Ilchester and his brother-in-law 

 came from Abbotsbury. Jack Evans appeared with 

 a smiling countenance. 



Hounds fine drawn and very fit. Bob Wright 

 first whip from Lothians ; he goes to Lord Middle- 

 ton's. Smith, second whip, goes to T. Hammond. 

 Woodcock, second horseman, goes as second whip 

 to Cotswold. 



Drew some outside places blank ; found in Rag 

 Copse. Melbury beastly " dumbly " place, very 

 deep. Hunted him round about. Hounds first-rate 

 in their work, very cheery and very diligent. 



Evans has a fine voice and a good horn. The 

 men have good hound language. Hunted up to 

 him at last, and to ground in a hedge, close at him ; 

 hounds dug like badgers. Evans said, " We will 

 leave him and go and find another". Just then the 

 hounds pulled him out. I said, " I want to see if 

 you look as solemn as you look in the picture". 

 " Now then, sir, I'll show you the right thing," and 

 held the fox up with a shining face and his mouth 

 wide open. 



In the month of March I was staying at Egges- 

 ford with Lord Portsmouth, and we agreed that 

 it was a pity that no further steps had been 

 taken to form the Hunt Servants' Benefit Society. 

 I wrote to the following Masters of Hounds 

 Leconfield ; G. Lane Fox ; Macclesfield ; James 

 Hall ; Poltimore ; J. Chaworth Musters ; Ports- 



