146 SERGEANT-MAJOR. 



tradesmen in the town, as well as the 

 leading farmers and dealers in the 

 country. Among the former was a man 

 some few years older than myself, who 

 was the sergeant-major, and a very 

 efficient soldier he was ; being a good 

 swordsman, as well as a most excellent 

 horseman. 



Of these qualities he had given me a 

 proof, which was the cause, if not 

 the commencement, of our friendship. 

 Being in London for the first time 

 since my recovery, I determined to see 

 the Derby, for which purpose I bor- 

 rowed a nag from a well-known horse- 

 dealer in London, with whom my 

 father was acquainted. The animal on 

 which I was mounted threw me three 

 times between Bethlem Hospital and 

 Epsom, and was altogether a restive and 

 unruly brute. Meeting the serjeant-major 

 on the Downs, with an intimate friend of 

 mine in a gig, they observed by the 



