374 BECOMES A SPORTSMAN. 



tawny-maned ; the old Scandinavian type, full 

 of energy and life,' with a highly nervous tem- 

 perament, a token of endurance, and long, wiry, 

 but not muscular limbs, that could cover the 

 ground at a swinging pace, he became an excel- 

 lent mountaineer. His strong nerve and clear 

 head enabled him to cross the Passes before the 

 melting of the snows allowed them to be called 

 open, and to travel by break-neck paths, which 

 others were unable to face : a rival, on one occasion, 

 attempted to precede him, and brought on a low 

 fever by the horrors of the Col and the Corniche. 

 He soon proved himself the best East Indian 

 sportsman of each successive season : that he 

 was a good shot in his youth is shown by the 

 ' trophies ' with which he adorned the paternal 

 hall. But, as Lieut. Herne and I took the first 

 opportunity of ascertaining, he was by no means 

 remarkable for the ' use of an unerring rifle,' 

 when he appeared at Aden. This often happens 

 in the case of men who have overtaxed their nerv- 

 ous systems during early life, and who have unin- 

 termittently kept up the practice of dangerous 

 sport : to mention no others, the late Gordon 

 Gumming and Jules Gerard are notable instances 

 personally known to me. Those whose tastes 

 lie in lion-hunting and boar-spearing will do well 



