ROEBUCK SHOOTING ON THE BANKS OF THE RHINE. 257 



recognising, as the farmers of England do now with regard to 

 hares and rabbits, that when the wild animals become public 

 property they soon cease to exist either for food or for sport. 



The next occasion was arranged with a view to an early start, 

 a whole day's outing, and, possibly, a larger hamper. We left 

 the town while the morning was yet cool : and an hour's drive 

 put us as far on our way as Rastatt, a Prussian fort and depot. 

 The great drill ground on the plain was covered, as we ap- 

 proached, with dark, moving masses presenting at a distance 

 all the appearance of great flocks of wild-duck upon a lagoon. 

 As we neared the fortress a regiment was just returning from 

 its morning work, and we pulled up at the ci'oss roads as if to 

 take the salute. In heaviest marching order they came past in 

 fours — equipped in every respect as if on a campaign. They 

 had been exercising, it was said, since daylight ; and now it was 

 after nine o'clock. Small wonder they did not look " smart " — 

 even when called to " attention " on approaching the drawbridge. 

 Indeed any of our regiments of volunteers, having colonel and 

 adjutant worth their salt, would — supposing their stamina stood 

 them — have put the Prussians to shame in their marching. 

 With the latter, rigid drill had evidently given place to loose- 

 order and go-as-you-please ; and, beyond sloping their arms 

 uniformly, they made no attempt to pull themselves together 

 "as if" — to quote a sergeant-major's rousing appeal — "they 

 had a sovereign apiece in their pockets." If my soldiering were 

 to come again, I would crave no such playful schooling as four 

 hours' battalion drill in complete marching order, under a kill- 

 ing sun and a murderous black helmet (the most cruel headgear 

 I ever saw carried). It gave one a headache to look at them. 

 Handicapped even thus, these boyish Germans were rosy and 

 vigorous as the youth of the harvest field — probably their elder- 

 brethren emancipated — for the rank and file of these warriors 

 were very, very young. Is it all mere play, I wonder ? The 

 frontier garrisons, I am told, are kept at it vigorously and in- 

 cessantly, as if war with France were already declared. Route- 

 marching by moonlight, gun drill and infantry drill daily for as 



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