SOME OF THE FIELD. 201 



Captain Skipworth's duel came oft' at St. Sebastian, 

 where he was acting as brigade-major. It was the sequel 

 to an argument on the respective merits of two of their 

 ofticers, one of whom Captain Skipworth accused of 

 cowardice. Captain Skipworth's opponent took deliberate 

 aim at his adversary, and missed, while he purposely fired 

 wide. Another round was demanded, and again Captain 

 Skipworth was untouched. But seeing that he should 

 have to put a stop to the affair, or it would go on till his 

 opponent put a ball through him. Captain Skipworth, who 

 was noted for his shooting, which had secured him from 

 the annoyance of challenges, adopted the following tactics. 

 His adversary had had his foot injured in a skirmish, and 

 a piece of white wadding showed through a cut in his boot. 

 Captain Skipworth placed a ball straight through the 

 opening in the boot, and settled the affair. 



Soon after this he resigned his commission, and although 

 General Evans off'ered him a Staff" appointment, he could 

 not induce him to remain in Spain, He fell down with 

 fever for six weeks on his arrival in London, where he was 

 carefully nursed by his old friend Captain Healey, who 

 was a medical man by profession. General Baker was one 

 of the first to call and see him. Captain Skipworth w^as 

 always a good shot both in field and covert, but he was 

 pre-eminently a lover of the horse, and as a horseman 

 he excelled in every ])ranch of the art. As a steeple- 

 chase jockey, and across a country in the wake of hounds, 

 he had few equals and no superiors in his day, some of 

 the very hardest-contested races falling to his skill, among 

 others being the Great Spalding Steeplechase on Gay Lad. 



This is what the old song says about it — 



" The merry inen of Lincolnshire were foremost in the fray, 

 When Skipworth rode their Gay Lad and Frisby steered their grey. 

 Tom Oliver and Vanguard had glory to their meed, 

 And unrivalled for a season were The Chandler and Proceed. 



" Salute and Pioneer amid the bullfinches did revel, 

 And Newport viewed the energy of Lincoln steered by Bevill. 

 Peter Simple, by four triumphs, earned this praise from every foe, 

 ' He's an ugly one to look at, but a devil for to go.' " 



