COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 199 



chestnut horse from Frank Geary's son. Down to 

 Langley to see Arthur. 



7th. Put my horse in the train down to Leicester ; 

 got a hireling from Hames and went out with the 

 Ouorn. It was the day when the Duke of Portland 

 and Mr. Behrens bought the Quorn Hounds. After 

 hunting I got into the train with my horse to Bingham, 

 and went to Wiverton. On the 8th, I rode my horse 

 to Piper's Hole, hunted with Belvoir and then rode 

 on to Ashwell, and stayed Sunday with the Blairs, 

 and saw the Cottesmore Hounds in the kennel in the 

 afternoon. 



On Monday got into the train with my horse to 

 Hinckley station, and met the Atherstone Hounds. 

 Drew gorse blank. Castleman had a horse of Hames' 

 on trial, which pulled too hard for him, so Oakeley 

 said I might ride him. I tied his head to his breast- 

 plate with a bit of whip-cord and he went first-rate. 

 Found at Button Ambion. Coming away there was 

 a stiff stile. I had just got to it when Mrs. Harry 

 Townsend came at it at 100 miles an hour and rather 

 skew ways ; her horse tipped it, and gave her an 

 awful fall ; tore her skirt off, and she appeared with 

 boots and breeches and a short frock coat. I jumped 

 her on to her horse, and wrapped the rags round 

 her legs ; but she was so dilapidated that she had to 

 go home. I was very sorry for her. I went home 

 with the Oakleys to Cliff that night ; John Madocks 

 was there. 



Next day to Rugby and home. I was out 

 with ten packs of hounds, and went from one 



