34 REMINISCENCES OF 



be a capital plan. Mr, Chamberlayne paints very 

 beautifully and gives me a lesson whenever I choose, 

 so I have three brushes and eight colours — oil — and 

 dab away, and I think I shall succeed when I know 

 a little more about the palette. When the weather 

 turns finer we are going out to sketch. By-the-bye, 

 about fourteen days ago we went to the salt mines 

 at Deuze. We got into a tub and down we went 450 

 feet, and found ourselves in a vault about twenty-four 

 feet broad and high, and perhaps a mile long. There 

 are a number of streets at right angles supported by 

 pillars. The salt is as hard as rock, and is all blasted 

 and cut with pick-axes. They say that the echo of 

 a blast is very beautiful. Capt. L. and a Count 

 Gastaldi who was with us sang some duets, which 

 echoed beautifully. I fancy John Dalyell must be 

 rather disappointed with his English hunting — he 

 has got such a bad country. An old gentleman here 

 lent me (your horror) the Sport. Mag., and I saw all 

 about it, also that the 9th are all famous riders. I 

 suppose I must have some horses when I join, but 

 the Colonel will tell you all about that. I was hard 

 at work all yesterday afternoon with a pick-axe and 

 spade cultivating Major Fitz-Maurice's kail-yard, 

 and am going at it again to-day ! He has got such 

 a nice boy, three and a half years old — such a manly 

 little fellow, and if I ever become a colonel he is to 

 be in my regiment. I suppose Hamilton has left the 

 castle, but you did not tell me where he is gone to. 

 At Vienna I got some music and put it into my 

 shako, and that into my portmanteau, and Capt. 



