s an exceedingly well-made
man, and remarkable for his physical powers in running, jumping,
climbing, and such bodily exercises as demanded agility and muscular
strength. He used to amuse his friends by creeping over the furniture
of a room like a monkey. It was very common for his companions to make
bets with him: for example, that he would not be able to climb up the
ceiling of a room, or scramble over a certain house-top. Grimaldi, the
famous clown, used to say, "Colonel Mackinnon has only to put on the
motley costume, and he would totally eclipse me."

Mackinnon was famous for practical jokes; which were, however, always
played in a gentlemanly way. Before landing at St. Andero's, with some
other officers who had been on leave in England, he agreed to personate
the Duke of York, and make the Spaniards believe that his Royal
Highness was amongst them. On nearing the shore, a royal standard was
hoisted at the masthead, and Mackinnon disembarked, wearing the star of
his shako on his left breast, and accompanied by his friends, who
agreed to play the part of aides-de-camp to royalty. The Spanish
authorities were soon informed of the arrival of the Royal
Commander-in-Chief of the British army; so they received Mackinnon with
the usual pomp and circumstance attending such occasions. The mayor of
the place, in honour of the illustrious arrival, gave a grand banquet,
which terminated with the appearance of a huge bowl of punch. Whereupon
Dan, thinking that the joke had gone far enough, suddenly dived his
head into the porcelain vase, and threw his heels into the air. The
surprise and indignation of the solemn Spaniards was such, that they
made a most intemperate report of the hoax that had been played on them
to Lord Wellington; Dan, however, was ultimately forgiven, after a
severe reprimand.

Another of his freaks very nearly brought him to a court-martial. Lord
Wellington was curious about visiting a convent near Lisbon, and the
lady abbess made no difficulty; Mackinnon, hearing this, contrived to
get clandestinely within the sacred walls, and it was generally
supposed that it was neither his first nor his second visit. At all
events, when Lord Wellington arrived, Dan Mackinnon was to be seen
among the nuns, dressed out in their sacred costume, with his head and
whiskers shaved, and as he possessed good features, he was declared to
be one of the best-looking amongst those chaste dames. It was supposed
that this