242 Among Men and Horses. 



tance men,' on account of their always averring, when seek- 

 ing temporary assistance, that they are waiting for a remit- 

 tance from home. Such folk, as a rule, are no good either to 

 themselves or to the colony in which they reside ; for with 

 few exceptions they prefer to ' cadge ' and ' loaf ' on anyone 

 who is good-natured enough to listen to their tale of woe, 

 than to pull off their coats, roll up their sleeves, and work. 

 However graphically they may ' tell the tale ' about the love 

 which their rich relations in England bear to them, the fact 

 remains that the said 'friends' are delighted to have seen 

 the last of them, and would on no account send them money 

 to return and annoy the family. Making them ' shift ' for 

 themselves is the truest kindness. To give a case in point, I 

 may relate that of Captain Goodwood (which is not far from 

 his name), who was in the service when I knew him in India. 

 He was then a tall, smart, good-looking fellow, fond of 

 horses, hospitable, 'good company,' member of a very old 

 , family, and close to the succession of an earldom ; but 

 volatile. In fact, so much so that he took no pleasure 

 in doing anything that was staid. On account of his 

 connections and pleasant manners, his colonel ' stood ' him 

 as long as he could, and then gave him the best possible 

 advice. The next place I met him was at a horse show at a 

 country town where he was a local magnate on account of 

 having married a charming young lady of great wealth, 

 every penny of which her guardians, knowing their man, had 

 insisted on putting under her entire control. I lost sight of 

 him for a year, and then met him in London, looking as de- 

 bonnaire and well dressed as ever, though with a slight sus- 

 picion of anxiety in his eyes. He appeared overjoyed to see 

 me— why I could not just then tell— and begged me to come 

 that evening to supper at his rooms ; the address of which 

 he gave me. I went there, and met, besides my host, his 

 brother, and a couple of men who had that undefinable some- 

 thing about them which indicated more the bird of prey than 

 the homely pigeon or goose. We sat down to play a game 



