140 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



of the line. The latter was equally startled as I 

 was ; but before any action could be decided on, 

 an orderly who had been sent forward to give 

 notice of the approach of the General, came 

 running back exclaiming, " Here he is ! " and 

 we had to hurry back to our places. 



I had barely got into dressing with the line, 

 and drawn my sword, when the General appeared, 

 in front of the Staff, riding through the little 

 gorge leading on to the ground. As soon as all 

 were well in view the artillery officer gave the 

 word of command, and with a deafening roar 

 that shook every building in the place, and broke 

 innumerable panes of glass, the big gun was 

 discharged, and I was enveloped in smoke. The 

 effect was really ludicrous ! Round went the 

 Staff, round went the General's horse, and away 

 the terrified horses fled out of the barracks ! As 

 a stage effect it was really perfect. Lackland, 

 fortunately for me, never flinched at all, or, 

 blinded as we were by the smoke, we might 

 easily have gone over the cliff, if he had plunged. 

 He just gave a tremendous start, and then 

 standing perfectly still gazed around to see 

 what was happening. In due time the Staff 

 reappeared again, and it is needless to say that 

 no more guns were fired that day, while the 

 young officer who had caused this contretemps 

 was given ample opportunities subsequently of 

 dwelling on the foolishness of playing practical 

 jokes on elderly general officers on duty. It 

 appeared, on inquiry, that the colonel com- 

 manding the artillery had not seen the garrison 

 orders ordering the inspection, and was unaware 

 that it was taking place. The artillery and the 

 infantry were under separate commanders, who 



