of some 40 or 50 lbs. The drill could be made, and frequently was, according to the fancy of the sergeant in charge, extremely exasperating and fatiguing, and in order to escape from such degrading drudgery men would sometimes deliberately commit a second and more serious offence so as to be sent to prison. In the cavalry it was not feasible, as in the infantry, to spare the men for four hours a day from their other duties, and as a rule the punishment took the form of one hour's drill and one or two of employment on "fatigue duties."
In August 1878—or about nine months after joining—I was "dismissed" recruit-drill, this being the length of time usually taken to become classified as a trained cavalry of soldier. The recruit training included a course musketry of about three weeks' duration, most of the time being devoted to the deadly dull exercise known as " bob and joe "—the bringing of the carbine from the "ready" to the "present" and vice versa. Forty rounds of ball ammunition, no more and no less, regardless of requirements, were allowed for each and every recruit to make himself a proficient shot. The result was that not one in twenty was proficient, or anything like it. I remember that I carried off the prize for the best shot of my batch, the prize being three shillings!
As a trained soldier I now became available for "dayguard," which furnished the full-dress sentry on the barrack gate and was responsible for the safe custody of the prisoners in the guard-room. It was composed of a corporal, a trumpeter, and five men, and was paraded for inspection by the regimental sergeant-major. The parade of this guard was one of the chief events of the day, for from amongst the five men the sergeant-major selected the two whom he thought to be the smartest and best turned out to act as "orderlies" to the commanding officer and adjutant. To be thus selected was the ambition of the whole five, for while the three had turn about to spend the next twentyfour hours on sentry on the barrack gate, the chosen two passed their night in bed and had little to do during the day. I was lucky enough to be selected at my first two attempts, though I was not equally fortunate on all other occasions.
