MEMORIES OF GLEXAUGH. 109 



During dinner, Poole conducted himself 

 well enough. He was fortunately placed next 

 a quiet sucking ensign ; but when the claret 

 was disposed of, when the major left the room, 

 and strong waters were called on, Poole laid 

 himself out, as was usual with him, for a hard 

 night. A few of the men, seeing the rate at 

 which he went, calculated on putting him 

 under the table ; but before Dick had shown 

 the slightest token of undue exhilaration, 

 several of his entertainers were talking thickly 

 and laughing loudly. Hunting and shooting 

 stories were exchanged with a crescendo of 

 mendacity on the part of the narrators as the 

 night advanced. Dick had set them all in a 

 roar by describing how he had shot down every 

 bird in a covey save one ; " and I left him," 

 shouted Dick, " to breed." At length the con- 

 versation turned upon swimming. 



"Talk of swimming," put in Poole, "do 

 you know the cliffs at the seaside of Poolgarra ? 

 I'll bet any man I'll jump off the highest part 

 of those cliffs, and carry another fellow on my 

 back." 



A universal burst of laughter, and cries 



