Chapter VI 



The Rev. Evelyn Burnaby — His ride from Land's End to John o' Groats — 

 What his Horses Thought About it — A Sporting Family — Attached Brothers 

 — Fred Offers to Fight Evelyn's Battles — " Memories of Famous Trials " — 

 The Rev. Evelyn's Legal Mind — Some Contemporaries at Eton — Present 

 with Lord Randolph Churchill at Queen Alexandra's Wedding — Apologises 

 for Slight Lapse of Memory — A Bouquet for a Bazaar — Lord Exeter called a 

 Vagabond — The Jubilee Plunger's Boisterous Spirits — Evelyn Burnaby helps 

 Lame Dogs — A Troublesome Curate — Sheriffs Officers pay a Visit — Luncheon 

 Under the Sofa — The Prince of Wales at Nice — A Mishap — Some Dandie- 

 Dinmonts — Abusing Charity — A Racing Dream and a Murderer's Dream. 



FIRED by his brother— Colonel Fred Burnaby's— " Ride 

 to Khiva," the Rev. Evelyn Burnaby thought he would 

 like to do a sensational ride on his own account not quite 

 so far afield, and decided it should be from Land's End to 

 John o' Groats. This ride he brought off to his satisfaction in 

 1892, three horses playing out in the process and having to be 

 returned home or to hospital. The Society for the Prevention 

 of Cruelty to Animals interfered once. Mr. Burnaby being over 

 six feet in height and riding sixteen stone, was rather a heavy 

 order for any horse to carry day after day in succession, without 

 off-days, and probably they were only half looked after in 

 strange stables after fatiguing days. 



Evelyn was the younger son of the Rev. Gustavus 

 Burnaby of Somerby Hall, Leicestershire, for many years rector 

 of St. Peter's, Bedford. Mr. Evelyn Burnaby's mother was 

 one of the four beautiful daughters of Henry Villebois, the 

 squire of Marham Hall, in Norfolk. 



Evelyn's father was rather a notable sportsman, and every- 

 thing he did was carried out with dignity. He drove to race- 

 meetings in a smart carriage and pair, entertained regally, and 

 subscribed to every properly -conducted sport. He was always 

 well-turned-out and rode good horses, and was very proud of 

 his sons and their abilities in sport. It is a truism that it is 

 easy for people of considerable means to do things well. Quite 

 so, but it does not always follow that they do. 



