I was in the habit of taking long walks, accompanied by my dog, through
the forest and over those wastes of moorland which are to be found in
various parts of Hampshire. Whilst thus wandering one day, I saw on a
prominent knoll, from which an extensive view could be obtained of the
surrounding country, two men, one of whom had on a red uniform. My life
had been passed so entirely in the wilds of the forest that I had never
before seen a soldier, and my curiosity was at once excited by this
red-coat, and I consequently made my way towards him, intending to
examine him as I would a new specimen of natural history.
On coming near the two persons I saw at once that the one in civilian
dress was a gentleman. To me he looked old, but I afterwards found out
he was only twenty-four; but a man of twenty-four is old to a boy of
fourteen. This gentleman was busily occupied with a strange-looking
instrument, which seemed made partly of brass and partly of wood. It
stood on three legs, which were separated so as to form a pyramid, and
on the apex of this was the brass apparatus referred to. I had
approached to within about twenty yards of this instrument when the
gentleman ceased looking at it, and, turning towards me, said, "Now,
young fellow, mind you don't get shot."
"I beg pardon," I said, "I didn't know you were going to fire." And as
I said so I saw that what appeared rather like a tube was pointing
towards me.
"If you get shot it will be your own fault," said the gentleman; "so
don't expect me to be responsible. Don't you see the muzzle is pointing
at you?"
I slipped round very quickly, so as to place myself, as I supposed,
behind the gun, but, in a moment, round went the instrument with a touch
of the gentleman's finger, and again the tube pointed at me.
"There you are again, right in the way," said the stranger. "If you are
not shot it's a marvel to me."
Seeing a smile on the face of the soldier, I began to suspect that I was
being made fun of, so I said, "I don't believe that is a gun."
"Not a gun? Why, what a disbelieving young Jew you are?"
"I'm not a Jew," I replied indignantly. "I'm a gentleman."
"That's good," exclaimed the stranger, with a laugh. "Then you mean to
assert that a Jew can't be a gentleman? You'd better mind what you're
saying, sir, for I'm a Jew."
I looked at him with surprise, for I had my own idea of what a Jew was
on account of a Jew pedlar coming to our lodge twice a year with a pack
of all sorts of odds and ends to sell; and certainly, as I looked at the
tall, handsome-looking stranger, I saw no similarity between him and the
pedlar. I had lived hitherto in a most matter-of-fact world, where such
a thing as a joke was rare, and what is termed "chaff" was unknown, so I
did not understand the meaning of these remarks, and certainly felt no
inclination to smile.
"Do you live in these parts?" asked the stranger.
"Yes," I replied. "Do you know the forest well?"
"Every part of it."
"Now come here," said the stranger. "Do you see those tall pines--those
on that hill?"
"Yes."
"Well, what is the name of that place?"
"That's Castle Malwood."
"Castle Malwood; and it's well known about here by that name?"
"Yes, of course it is."
"If I were to ask one of these chawbacon foresters to show me where
Castle Malwood was, he would point out that place, eh?"
"Yes; every forester knows that."
"How about the name of that house down there with the yew-trees round
it?"
"That's Blackthorn Lodge, where I live."
"Oh, that's your house, is it? And what's your governor?"
"A gentleman."
"I suppose you are home for the midsummer holidays?"
"No; I don't go to school."
"Tutor at home, I suppose?"
"No."
"Who teaches you, then?"
"Aunt did, and now my father does."
"And what are you going to be?"
"I don't know."
"You ought to be a cadet, and join the Engineers."
I made no reply to this; for I had never thought of any career in the
future, and had never had any ideas beyond our quiet forest home, so I
was not prepared with any remark.
"How do you amuse yourself here?" said the stranger. "Rather a dull
place, I fancy."
"I watch the birds and insects, and study natural history," I replied.
"You are fond of that, are you? You should have been with me in Africa,
then, where you could have watched a herd of wild elephants, or seen a
lion stalk a buck, or a gigantic snake kill a bustard: that's the place
for a naturalist."
"Have you ever seen a wild elephant or lion?" I inquired, looking with
a sudden feeling of respect at the gentleman.
"Seen them and shot them, too, and have been in a country where you had
to burn fires all round you to prevent being trodden down by the herds
of wild animals that come about you of a night."
"Are you a soldier?" I inquired.
"I flatter myself I am. I am an officer of Engineers, and am here now
surveying, and want all the information I can get about the forest; so,
if you like, I'll meet you to-morrow near your house, as I shall be
taking angles on the heath near you."
"Then that thing isn't a gun?"
"No; it's a theodolite, used for surveying. I often chaff the
chawbacons here, by telling them I am going to fire, and then they don't
come bothering. What's your name?"
"Shepard."
"By George! that's odd; why, my governor was at Cambridge with yours,
and told me to call on you when I came down here. Is your governor at
home?"
"Yes."
"Then pack up the instrument, Roberts. I'll come home with you, and see
your governor, for I have a letter for him which I ought to have
delivered before."
The officer watched the instrument being packed up, and then started
with me towards our house. On the way he described to me the country
from which he had lately returned, and gave a vivid description of the
vast plains covered with wild animals, of the forest teeming with
strange creatures, and the air frequented by monstrous birds. Then he
described a leopard-hunt in which he had taken part, and told me how one
of the party had been seized and torn by the animal; and how, at last,
it had been shot dead by a lucky shot. On his watch-chain were two of
the claws of the leopard, which he showed me, and which gave me an idea
of the size and strength of the creature. So vivid was his description,
that the whole scene was before me, and I looked at him with mingled
feelings of awe and admiration. I had read brief descriptions of lion
and tiger hunts, but I had somehow mixed these up with tales from the
"Arabian Nights," and such like stories; but to meet a person who had
himself been an actor in a lion-hunt, and who had himself killed some of
the most powerful savage animals, was to me like a dream. My new
acquaintance was to me a hero; and I was at once ready to follow his
merest suggestion, if he would only tell me more of his adventures with
wild beasts.
As we approached my father's house, it occurred to me I had not asked
the stranger's name, and I should have to tell my father who he was; so
after a little hesitation I inquired what his name was.
"Howard," replied the officer. "I'm Jack Howard, Lieutenant Royal
Engineers; my governor is the Vicar of Longstone, in Kent; so now you
know all about me."
As we approached the house we met my father, who, on learning who my
companion was, welcomed him in the most cordial manner, and gave him a
most pressing invitation to take up his residence at our lodge during
the time he was surveying near us. That evening he stopped with us, and
as we sat near the dining-room window, looking out on the endless glades
of the grandest forest in England, Howard entertained us with
descriptions of the scenes and adventures through which he had passed in
Africa. He was a good talker, and had devoted much of his time to sport
and to natural history, and was thus able to give my father descriptions
of the rare animals he had met, and which were then but little known in
England. As for me, I was simply entranced, and even my father seemed
to listen with delight to descriptions of savage life, of which he had
previously only read. I felt utterly miserable when Howard left,
although he had promised to come on the following evening and stay with
us a few days.
When I went to bed that night it was not to sleep; I tossed from side to
side without any desire to close my eyes. The scenes of which I had
heard were before me as vividly as though I had been an actor in them,
and already had I made up my mind that I must be an engineer, and most
myself enjoy similar experiences to those of Howard. Of the ways and
means by which this result was to be accomplished I knew nothing, but I
determined to ask Howard, on the first opportunity, how I could become
an engineer officer, and then to try and induce my father to take such
steps as would forward my views.
Howard came at the hour appointed, and took up his residence with us. I
had counted the hours as they passed slowly and drearily till his
arrival, and felt inclined to follow him like a dog as soon as he was in
the house. I was anxious for an opportunity to tell him of my wish to
be an engineer, and to ask him what I was to do to become one, for now
it seemed that every hour's delay was so much waste time, whilst the
uncertainty as to whether I could or could not be one was a great source
of anxiety to me.
It was not till the second day after his arrival that I found an
opportunity of speaking to him about my wishes. It was towards the
afternoon, when he returned early from his surveying, that I met him
near the lodge, and summoning courage I said, "I have something I want
to ask you."
"What is it?" said Howard.
"I want to be an engineer officer like you. Can I?"
"There is no reason why you should not if you only work hard, but you
have no time to lose. What age are you?"
"I'm nearly fifteen."
"Then it will be sharp work for you, unless you are tolerably well up in
Swat."
"What is Swat?" I inquired.
"We call algebra and Euclid, and all those things, Swat at Woolwich.
Are you good at Euclid?"
This question was an awkward one. I had been so entirely in the hands
of my aunt as regards my education, that there were many subjects that I
had never heard of, and which other boys of my own age knew well. Up to
the time at which Howard asked me if I was well up in Euclid, I had, to
the best of my memory, never even heard of Euclid; whilst algebra was
also an unknown science. I had done sums of multiplication, and was
supposed to have learnt rule-of-three, but I had yet to learn how little
I knew, and to discover the difference between real knowledge and a mere
superficial smattering. In reply to Howard's question I had to own I
knew nothing of Euclid.
"What have you done in algebra?" he next asked.
"Nothing. I know nothing about it."
"By Jove! you are behindhand then; and unless you are at once sent to a
crammer's, you won't get into the Academy even."
"But I will work very hard," I said, "for I am so anxious to be an
engineer."
"Of course, but you can no more learn a heap in a given time than you
can eat an ox for dinner. You must have a certain time to prepare, and
at sixteen and a half you will be too old for entry. Then, have you
interest to get a nomination for Woolwich?"
"I must ask my father about that," I replied; "but I wish you would
speak to him, and say what a good thing it would be for me."
Howard was silent for some minutes, and then said, "I will speak to your
governor, for I think it is a great pity for a young fellow like you to
waste his time in the country till he is too old to do anything; and as
our governors were cronies, I may, perhaps, take the liberty of talking
to him."
It must have been on that evening, after I had gone to bed, that Howard
broached the subject to my father; for on the following morning my
father took me into the library, and, shutting the door carefully, as
though what he was going to say was a great secret, said, "Howard tells
me you are very anxious to be an engineer officer, and have talked to
him about it. Now I have no wish to part with you, but if you think you
would like such a profession, I will do what I can for you. It is a
most gentlemanly profession, admits you to good society, enables you to
see the world, and you may make your name known as a clever man. Young
Howard is a good example for you. He carried off several prizes at
Woolwich, and has always been considered a most promising young man, and
he thinks you could not do better than go into the Engineers. You will
have to work hard for a year or two, but with what you know already you
will soon pick up all that is required, and your knowledge of natural
history will no doubt help you on and bring you into notice. So if you
think it will suit you I will apply for an appointment to the Academy."
On the day following this conversation, Howard left us for a farm-house
some eight miles distant, and on the day after his departure my father
sent a letter to the Master-General of the Ordnance, asking for an
appointment for me to the Academy, and stating that I was clever, and a
good naturalist.
By return of post a letter was received, the opening of which I awaited
with intense anxiety. It was a long rectangular document, with "O.H.M.
Service" on the outside; the contents were brief but most decisive. In
answer to the application, the Master-General regretted that there was
no prospect of a vacancy at the Royal Military Academy before I had
passed the age for admission.
A shade of disappointment only passed across my father's face as he read
this letter, but to me it was a shock that seemed to render my future a
blank. I had so set my heart on being an engineer officer, like Howard,
that I had thought of nothing else for the past four or five days and
nights. My usual amusements had become distasteful, and been neglected;
the fire of ambition had entered my mind, and repose was no longer
attainable. Castles in the air had been built, and seemed to me
substantial edifices; and now to find all my hopes thus cruelly crushed
was a blow I could not support. I tried my best to bear up, but I felt
broken-hearted. I instantly thought of Howard; might he not help me?
He was so clever, and so acquainted with everything, that perhaps he
might tell my father what to do. I must find Howard and let him know
what had happened; so, soon after breakfast, I started for a long walk
to that part of the forest where I hoped to find him. I was in luck
that day, for I came on Howard as he was going to his work, told him of
the disappointment I had just experienced, and asked him if there was no
remedy. He smiled at my eagerness, and said, "Never despair, I will see
what can be done. I have a relative in the Cabinet, and he may manage
the affair for you; but, really now, it takes as much interest to get a
nomination for Woolwich as it does to make a curate a bishop; but I will
write about it, and if I get you a nomination you must do me credit, and
pass all your examinations well."
A week passed after this interview, and I saw nothing of Howard; each
day as the post came in I looked anxiously for a letter, but none came,
and I at length lost all hope. I had told my father what Howard had
said, but he smiled at my sanguine hopes, and told me it was
unfortunate, and could not be helped; but there really was no chance of
success, as he had ascertained that nearly every nomination for Woolwich
was given either through parliamentary interest, or to the sons of
distinguished military officers.
On the eighth day, however, an official letter was left by the postman
at our lodge. My father opened it with eagerness, and scanned its
contents before reading it to us. He then said, "Bob, I congratulate
you; listen to this:--
"`I have the honour to inform you that the Master-General of the
Ordnance has granted a nomination to the Royal Military Academy to your
son, Robert Shepard, and I am directed to state that he may present
himself at the Academy at the next examination in February. I enclose
papers, etc.'"
I jumped from my chair, gave my father a hug, exchanged kisses with my
two sisters and aunt, and performed various extraordinary capers about
the room. In imagination I was already an officer, a traveller, a
lion-slayer, and very much what Howard appeared to me. Of the thorny
path between me and the position I aspired to I knew nothing. I saw the
prize only, and little knew what I had to pass through ere I reached it.
If I could have seen the life I should lead during the next three years
I doubt whether my ambition would not instantly have been extinguished;
and I should have remained a dreamy forest boy, and grown up to the
position of a country gentleman of moderate means and somewhat limited
abilities.
On that morning there was joy in our house; my father was pleased at the
success of what he supposed was his application, and because he saw I
was pleased. My sisters were pleased at the prospect of having a
brother a soldier; and my aunt was, I think, gratified because of late
she had lost much of the control over me, which she had wielded when I
was a mere child, and did not now care to have me in the house.
When the first excitement of the intelligence was over, my father took
me into the library to talk over the papers he had read, relative to the
examination.
"There is Euclid," he said; "three books you will have to take up. That
you'll soon learn, because your mind is fresh and has not been crammed
like other boys at your age. Then there is arithmetic,--that of course
you know; and algebra up to quadratic equations; this you will soon pick
up. I remember at Cambridge I soon learnt all these things. History
and geography you were always fond of, and, of course, there is nothing
to learn there. French and German, too, you can pick up a smattering
of--enough to pass an examination--and I fancy your knowledge of natural
history will help to make you stand well at an examination. To February
is five months, so there is no hurry, and if you go steadily on you
ought to pass well. Perhaps, if I get a tutor to come over from
Southampton twice a week, we might manage it well."
I knew nothing about examinations, or the difficulty of the subjects I
was expected to learn, and so could offer no remarks, and could only
acquiesce in my father's suggestion, and should probably have dreamed on
a few months longer had not Howard that afternoon called at our lodge,
to congratulate us on the receipt of the nomination which, he said, he
had heard of that morning. He took but little credit to himself for
what he had done; but I felt certain then, and I ascertained afterwards,
that it was entirely due to his interest that I obtained my nomination.
Upon hearing what was proposed to be done in preparing me for the
examination, he assured us that it would be impossible for me to qualify
by February, even if I went to the best cram-school at Woolwich; but to
have a tutor twice a week would be useless. He impressed on my father
the necessity for getting my examination postponed till February
twelvemonth--the last date that my age would admit of--and recommended
that I should at once be sent to Mr Hostler, the best cram-school at
Woolwich, who would prepare me if any one could.
The high opinion which my father entertained of Howard caused him not
only to listen to, but to act on, this advice; and it was decided that
on the Monday week following my father was to start with me for
Woolwich, and leave me in charge of Mr Hostler, to be prepared for the
Royal Engineers, and for the examination on the February twelvemonth
from that date.