HUNTING 107 



that a man must have not only a good eye for 

 the country, but extra quick sight. 



My friend, after leaving the service, lived only 

 a short time, dying from the result of a chill 

 caught while hunting with the County Limerick 

 hounds — then under the Mastership of Captain 

 F. Forester. My friendship with Cecil Cliffe led 

 to one with his brother, Mr A. L. Cliffe, of 

 Bellevue, County Wexford, who was kind enough 

 to be my " best man " when I married. My wife 

 and I spent our honeymoon at Bellevue, Cliffe 

 then beinor Master of the Wexford Hounds. 



I recall an incident which I have not yet 

 made up my mind whether I regret or not. It 

 happened that the day of my wedding was the 

 2 1 St December 1899, the month which saw the 

 commencement of the Boer War. As I have 

 stated, Mr Cliffe was my "best man," and claimed 

 to be in personal charge till all functions of the 

 ceremony were over. In the afternoon a wire 

 arrived for me : " Will you take command of a 

 squadron, Devon and Somerset Yeomanry.** If 

 so must join at once." This was from Colonel 

 Richard R. W. Challoner, now Lord Guisborough. 

 Cliffe, as my "best man," said: "I will reply to 

 this. It is impossible for you to accept." I 

 certainly was in doubt what to do, and my 

 friend's assertive talking settled the matter, the 



