COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 129 



nth November. I went to Althorpe and 

 Spencer's two aides-de-camp were there, Bay Middle- 

 ton and Billy Beecher, and Tennant of the Royals. 

 Next day Spencer gave me a mount on two capital 

 grey horses, " Traviator" and " Plover's Egg". Met 

 at Buttocks Booth ; little scent and little sport ; ran 

 a brace to ground. 



I had sent nine horses up to a sale at Northampton. 

 Beecher bought " Beatrice " for Bay Middleton for 

 ^140. Bay won the military steeplechase on her and 

 sold her for ^250. 



1875. 2Oth March, Kilconquhar Station. Five 

 Masters of Hounds present The Earl of Eglinton, 

 Ayrshire ; Captain Carnegy, Forfar ; James Hope, 

 Midlothian ; Sir Arthur Halkett, West Fife ; and 

 myself. Colonel Buchanan, Renfrewshire, was ex- 

 pected, but could not come. Found in Elie ; ran by 

 Gibliston and Kellie Law into Balcaskie ; thirty-two 

 minutes without a check. Found again in Kittle- 

 naked ; ran past Carnbee, Lochty, Lingo, Lat- 

 hocker, Cameron, Waterless, Winthank, Mount 

 Melville and Claremont, and got into a drain under 

 the approach at Dunork. He bolted ; all the earths 

 were unstopped in Ladeddie, but they ran into him 

 before he could arrive there. Time, one hour two 

 minutes. Sir Arthur Halkett, Captain Carnegy and 

 James Hope were there, also Jim Turnbull, two 

 Drysdales, George Prentice, etc. The Ayrshire party 

 stopped at Mount Melville, having to catch a train to 

 go home. 



8th April. Hounds met at Scotland Wells. 



VOL. II. 9 



