GENERAL PETROVSKY 157 



on the contrary, have a deep knowledge of the variations 

 of these instruments, at different ends of the scale. 



The General told me that shortly before my arrival, the 

 dreariness of life at Kirsanof had been agreeably relieved by 

 a visit from that well-known cavalry leader and admirable 

 raconteur, General Petrovsky, who came to inspect the young 

 horses which at that time were being submitted for selection 

 as remounts. The General had an inexhaustible fund of 

 amusing anecdotes, many of which are treasured up by the 

 officers of the 3rd Brigade for the benefit of friends passing 

 through. The only persons who are said not to have 

 enjoyed these stories were the remonteurs who brought up 

 horses to be passed ; for whenever the eyes of the General 

 fell on a colt or filly he did not like, he used to turn round 

 to the officers behind him and begin to tell them a yarn in 

 his happiest style. As the burst of laughter which followed 

 died away, he'd wheel round again and would utter the fatal 

 word, brak, which in Russian signifies " rejected." 



I had a very pleasant time at desolate Kirsanof; for the 

 General and his officers were interested in the breaking, and 

 showed their appreciation of my work by many a hearty 

 " bravo!" and kindly word. .After I had made four diffi- 

 cult horses quiet to ride, an animal I was breaking on the 

 fifth day struck me a hard blow on the back of my right 

 hand with a fore foot, but luckily missed my head which it 

 grazed. Although I was able to finish with him and make 

 him quiet, the General from kindness of heart would not hear 

 of my doing any more work. In fact he said that if he had 

 his way, he would order me off to St. Petersburg on sick 

 leave until I got well again. 



Being, as I felt throughout this tour, on trial, I took more 

 chances than I might otherwise have done, and got several 

 nasty kicks. Luckily the horses were not shod. 



Before I departed, the General gave me his photograph 



