At Dundalk in 1868 during a good run with the Regimental Drag Hounds, a grey horse, Barabbas, owned and ridden by Lieutenant Bashford, pounded the field over a very boggy brook. At dinner the same evening, while discussing the extraordinary cleverness of the horse (after clearing the brook a native having roared out "Begorra, he changed on a trout"!), Mr. Wilkinson, the resident magistrate of Castle Bellingham, made a bet of £25 that Barabbas could not jump the mess-room table. The bet was at once accepted, and Mr. Bashford getting permission of the Colonel, went straight off to the stable, put on the saddle and bridle, and brought the horse into the mess-room. Captain Hicks, the paymaster, jumped on his back, and in a second had cleared the table.
Scene—The Crimea, two or three days before the charge of Balaclava. The Scots Greys are mounted and drawn up in line behind a hill waiting for orders. Lieut.-Colonel Darby Griffiths is sitting on his horse in front of the centre of the line. To him comes a young and very excited staff officer at full gallop, who says: "Colonel, ten men who dare go anywhere and know no fear are wanted at once. They must be desperate fellows, as they have a desperate job to perform. Please let me have them as soon as possible." Old Darby Griffiths, scarcely turning in his saddle, and without a moment's hesitation: "Greys, from your right number off ten!"
H. S.
THE LOST DUCKS
Some years ago a famous and historic cavalry regiment was moving from England to Ireland, marching by detachments, mostly of a troop each, to embark at Liverpool. These were billeted at nights in some town, foot and horse billets often widely scattered, and sometimes far separated one from the other. In the mornings, at the time appointed for marching away, all assembled at the rendezvous, usually the market-place, or a main street near the hotel where the officers were quartered. There a dense crowd watched the parade, the inspection, and the march off. On a certain occasion, the captain of C Troop, just before turning out, was interviewed by an angry, excited inn-keeper, who declared that the troopers billeted on him had stolen two of his fine, fat, white ducks. The captain assured him he must be mistaken, but that every means would be taken, if it were so, to detect and punish the culprits, and promised compensation. Owing to the great crowd round the parade, nothing could be done until clear of the town. On these marches, when horses were liable to sore backs and rubs from careless saddling, packing kit, girthing, etc., it was usual, after a trot, to halt a mile or so away from the billets, dismount, and carefully examine each horse and its equipment. On this occasion, the captain ordered kits to be unpacked, cloaks to be unrolled sufficiently to prevent the possibility of ducks being concealed in them. He then rode round the ranks drawn up on both sides of the road, and made a careful inspection. It revealed not even a feather of the ducks. From the next town he wrote to the aggrieved complainant, proving him to have been mistaken, and saying that such a charge should not have been brought against his men, who were incapable of stealing.
It was some years before the truth became known to the captain. In those days, officers on the line of march sent their light baggage by train with their servants, and carried nothing on their horses except brushes and stable rubbers for smartening up before entering a town, but they were ordered to carry behind the saddle a long-shaped valise, supposed to hold the kit, but usually filled with hay or straw to prevent rubbing the horse's back.
On that day the missing ducks were packed away in the captain's valise, and during his inspection and the whole of the day's march, he carried behind him the theft he was seeking to discover.