62 The Course, the Camp, the Chase 



halters to long ropes, which was the only fastening they 

 had. A terrific thunderstorm came on, and, frightened by 

 the peals of thunder and flashes of lightning, the horses 

 broke one of the ropes, and all galloped right through our 

 lines. It was so dark that the sentry at the guard-room 

 door challenged twice as two horses galloped down the 

 road past him, he being utterly unable to see that they 

 were only loose horses. When a third horse was heard 

 also approaching at full speed, the sentry rushed out to 

 stop him, but this happened to be ridden by an artillery- 

 man in the pursuit of others, who explained what had 

 occurred. Yet none of the horses that galloped through 

 our camp came to grief over the ropes or fell foul 

 over the tents, though they were invisible to our eyes, 

 for the rain that was falling in torrents made a 

 darkness that could almost be felt. I am sure that 

 though horses may not see as well as habitually 

 nocturnal animals, yet that they see at night a great 

 deal better than we can. 



On joining the Rifle Brigade I was sent to the depot 

 at Winchester to wait until my battalion returned from 

 India. In the autumn before its arrival H.E.H. the Duke 

 of Cambridge came down to inspect the Eifle Depot, and 

 on the conclusion of the drill, wishing to light a cigar, he 

 asked Colonel M'Donald, who commanded, for a light, but 

 none of the field-oiflcers on parade had one with him. 

 The colonel accordingly called to the rest of the oflicers as 

 they were leaving the parade to know if any of us had 

 one, and happening to have a Vesuvian in the pouch of my 

 cross-belt, I took it up to the Duke. Having thanked me 

 for it, he said, " Going on leave my lad, I suppose now, 

 eh ? " " No, sir," I said, " my leave has just been refused." 



