XV 



What has this to do with horsemanship, say you ( 

 True, we seem to have wandered ; but we can retrace our 

 steps. Let me quote some isohited facts quite apart from 

 the Civil AYar, to show that our cavahwmen on Indian 

 service have not only stout hearts under their army blue, 

 but stout seats in the saddle as well, and earn credit for 

 them both. Mention need not be made of the risk every 

 scouting party or detachment runs of perishing in an 

 Indian ambush, like Custer or Forsyth ; nor of horrible 

 marches of many days with the thermometer at 40° be- 

 low zero, like the command of Henry, when the bulk of 

 the men were frozen to death, or frost-bitten so as to lose 

 their feet and hands. Let us look at some good distance 

 riding, for it is in tliis that our men especially excel. 



But to do this calls out another side issue by reminding 

 us of the celebrated ride between Berlin and Vienna, and 

 we may as well recall its incidents. There has been much 

 honestly severe criticism of this noteworthy performance. 



"But what good came of it at last? 

 Said little Peterkin. 

 Why, that I caanot tell, said he. 

 But 'twas a famoQs victory." 



Let US view it from every side. 



Imprimis : so far as the endurance of the riders is con- 

 cerned it counts for nothing. The best time was three 

 hundred and fifty miles in three days — a mere trifle. 



