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THE WINNER — "AND TO SUCH WONDROUS DOING BROUGHT HIS HORSE 



-Hamlet. 



CHAPTER VI 

 MILITARY STEEPLECHASING 



ONE can hardly take up a pen to write on what 

 forms the subject of this chapter without a feeHng 

 of the deepest sorrow at the deaths in South Africa — 

 these words are written in December 1 899 — of so many 

 soldiers who have been well known in the world of sport. 

 The loss of so many valuable lives must for an indefinite 

 period affect sport in general, and it is almost sure that 

 for some time to come many pleasant r^tmions will 

 perforce lapse. 



From the earliest days of steeplechasing we find that 

 our officers have interested themselves most heartily 

 in the amusement, and in the days when a good man 

 to hounds was a tolerably good steeplechase rider the 

 soldiers gave a very good account of themselves. 

 Allusion has already been made to what I believe to 

 have been a fabled moonlight steeplechase in Suffolk ; 



249 



