superiors; and there is an admirable and most trustworthy military
tradition to the effect that no good officer is ever assaulted by his
men.

IV

The Fourth Royal Irish prided themselves particularly, and not without
reason, on the smart and soldierlike aspect of the regiment Recruits
were looked on with a jealous eye, and a gawky or loutish fellow was
received with open disfavour. While we were at Cahir a couple of young
fishermen from the North of Ireland joined. They came in sea-boots,
pilot-cloth trousers, and knitted jerseys; and they were for a while
objects of derision. I dare say one story is remembered in the regiment
still. They were sent into the riding-school before they had had time
to get their regimentals. It is no easy business for any unaccustomed
person to mount a saddled horse without the aid of stirrups, and the
young sailors in their huge sea-boots were at a double disadvantage.

'I can't get aboard this here craft nohow, Captain,' said one of them
to old Barron, the riding drill. I shall never forget his expression of
contempt and scorn as he saw the young men ignominiously hoisted into
the saddle. At the first order to trot the fishermen hung on desperately
to saddle and headstall.

'Jack,' said Barron, wrinkling his red nose in disdain, 'look out, or
you'll be overboard!'

'Not me,' says Jack; 'not so long as the bloomin' riggin' holds.'

The sea-going brethren turned out very smart soldiers later on; but
within a month of their arrival there came about the most hopeless
specimen I can remember to have seen. His name was Sullivan, though he
pronounced it Soolikan, and he was an embodiment of every awkwardness
and stupidity. He was a shambling, flat-footed, weak-kneed,
round-shouldered youth, and the Fourth asked with amazement how on earth
the doctors had been induced to pass him. So far as I remember, he never
learned anything. The various drills laboured at him like galley-slaves,
but never succeeded in teaching him the difference between 'port arms'
and 'carry arms.' When he had been diligently instructed in the sword
exercise, he asked the sergeant what was the use of it all. 'While I was
going through that,' says he, 'some bloody-minded Russian 'd be choppin'
me head off.' It was his idea that a soldier was supposed to go through
the sword exercise in face of the enemy; and the notion that it was
simply intended to give dexterity in the use of the weapon never
occurred to him.