270 MEMORIES OF MEN AND HORSES 



at Avery Hill, when he decided to offer all his blood 

 stock and all his greyhounds, Mr Tattersall selling 

 the former, Mr Rymill the latter. He went to the 

 expense of having wooden boxes built for the horses in 

 training, and, of course, there was a luncheon tent. To 

 this hundreds even thousands of visitors from London 

 repaired, being free lunchers almost one and all, while 

 the few genuine buyers could not get in at all. 



I shall never forget that afternoon. At one side of 

 the ring there was a long Humphrey's building, with a 

 bar and unlimited supplies. The rostrum was raised to 

 at least twelve feet high and had to be ascended by steps. 

 Mr Edmund Tattersall was a stately, dignified old 

 gentleman, and even getting up to that box was no easy 

 task for him, but when he got there he little knew what 

 he was in for. 



Colonel North, who had just reached a stage when 

 he hated the idea of selling anything, quickly started 

 bidding for the lots himself, and when El Diablo came 

 in, he cried out : " The reserve on this horse is 10,000 

 guineas ! " 



Mr Tattersall looked at him indignantly, but all the 

 Colonel added was, turning to the bar: " Hi, there! 

 send Mr Tattersall a whisky and soda ! " 



Sure enough, one was hoisted up to the rostrum on 

 the end of a pole, but I cannot remember whether Mr 

 Tattersall took it probably not. 



So the sale went on, Colonel North bidding for every- 

 thing. " Why should not I have a bid ? " he cried. And 

 then in regard to one old mare who had been barren for 

 ten years I had a commission to buy her up to fifty 

 guineas for some " crank " who thought he had a specific 

 which could ensure her getting in foal. Here at last, 



