112 PINK AND SCARLET 



halted ; if the latter, a file or two will at once ascend 

 the hills on either side until they can just see over 

 the tops of them, and command the ground on the 

 reverse slopes. 



It is all very simple, but the men won't think of 

 it, and therefore the Officer must, and in what more 

 charming way can he learn so to think than when 

 jogging up to the rendezvous for those who are 

 about to take part in the " Sport of Kings " ? 



We debouch from the defile, and find ourselves in 

 a rich grazing ground fenced mostly with strong 

 bullfinches, some of which have the awkward 

 addition of an ox rail. While deliberating as to 

 whether our mount is equal to bursting through the 

 bullfinches, and to covering the addition beyond 

 in his stride, our eye catches sight of the numerous 

 cattle which are grazing in the fields. 



How many are there in that field and the next ? 

 Ten in one and fifteen in the other. Roughly, 

 meat for 7500 men for one day.^ It is quite 

 worth while to make a practice of counting the 

 cattle, sheep, and horses in a field, until we can 

 estimate at a glance, sufficiently accurately for prac- 

 tical purposes, how many there are. We never 

 know when, either on active service, on a Staff ride, 

 or when working out a reconnaisance scheme at the 

 Staff College, we may have to report on the supplies 

 available in a country, and only just have time to 

 trot or canter through it. Then indeed this acquired 

 habit of L' observation will stand us in good stead. 

 ^ An average-sized ox will furnish rations for 300 men. 



