H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES 



T was fortunate enough to form one of a small 

 party who were mvited to visit the Sandringham 

 Stud within twelve months of the time that 

 Persimmon was installed there as lord of the 

 harem. The journey from St. Pan eras to Wolfer- 

 ton — the station for Sandringham — is a somewhat 

 long one, as it involves a couple of changes of 

 carriage, and the line from Ely to Wolferton 

 passes through a very flat and uninteresting 

 country, the " Land of the Broads " being of a 

 very Dutch type, so that the drive from the little 

 station to Sandringham comes as a very pleasant 

 surprise. Directly one hill is climbed the land- 

 scape changes as if by magic, and is not unworthy 

 of comparison with the prettiest parts of Surrey, 

 which all lovers of that beautiful county will 

 admit to be about the highest praise that could be 

 bestowed. The dreary and depressing flats and 

 unpicturesque dykes give way to heather-clad hills 

 and pine woods, and when the heather is in full 

 bloom, and the rhododendrons in all their glory, 

 the neighbourhood of Sandringham must be lovely 

 indeed. Fortunately, on the occasion of my visit, 

 I was favoured with quite an exceptional autumn 

 day, the sun shining brilliantly from a cloudless 

 blue sky, and this was singularly lucky, because 

 blood- stock always looks fifty per cent better in 

 the sunshine than when the atmospheric sur- 

 roundings are dull and gloomy. I approached 

 Sandringham by the " Princess's Drive," a charming 

 and winding road fringed by beautiful trees, and 

 every now and then a pheasant would walk in 

 leisurely fashion across the road, almost under our 

 horses' feet, and disappear amongst the ferns. 



After full justice had been done to luncheon, 

 a move was made for the boxes in which the 

 mares are located, Lord Marcus Beresford and 



291 



