SOME SPORTING MEMORIES
Lord William’s Driving--One of Two Experiences--A Sermon in the
Smoking-room--Useful Shirt Cuffs--Convenient Handwriting--New
Year’s Parade--A Waiting Race--A Spoilt Meeting--Purchase of Myall
King--Dufferins Leave India--Rules Issued by Lord William for Their
Departure
The Autumn Race Meeting at Meerut saw Prospero win the Merchants’
Purse, value 1,000 rupees, for Lord William, Ryder up; also the
St. Leger, value 1,500 rupees, with Tim Whiffler. The same month
(October) FitzWilliam won the Steward’s Purse at Lucknow, 2,110
rupees, the Pony Derby, 2,410 rupees, with Little Nell, all ridden by
Dunn. I have heard the winner of the Pony Derby called “Little Hell,”
partly from affection and partly because she gave others so little
chance, I presume!
I have always been under the impression that there is more money
to be made out of ponies and pony racing than in Viceroy’s cups.
In India a man who is a good judge of horse-flesh and knows their
points can often pick up ponies fairly cheaply in the serais, sort
of village cattle-market, where dealers are to be found with horses
and ponies for sale. Then if the purchaser has good hands and good
temper, he may be able to train some into good polo ponies, and
possibly win a race or two in a small way, after which good prices
may be realised, though some of the ponies bought in the rough, have
a tiresome way of growing after having reached the required height,
skilful shoeing is then the best chance to make them register the
proper standard. If after this they still persist in being too big
they can be sold as ladies’ hacks, if a woman has ridden them once.
Many poor men have been able to enjoy their lives and have all they
wanted in reason, thanks to their training and selling ponies they
have bought with an eye to business. I am speaking of some years ago,
possibly ponies and prices are different now.
The Simla season ends in October, and the gaiety and festivities are
carried on at Calcutta on a more pronounced scale though with less
of the family party feeling, owing to the larger community. The poor
big-wigs do not have much peace in either place, it is so difficult
to escape from people, who, though doubtless are many of them
charming in themselves, the amount of bowing and scraping they entail
is fatiguing.
One Commander-in-Chief I knew simplified matters by riding along
looking straight ahead and seeing nobody, taking no more notice of
the crowd of amiable people waiting to bow and smile than if they
were so many little dogs wagging their tails. At first this gave
offence, which did not greatly upset the good man’s calm, but before
long it was recognised as a mercy and something to be thankful for.
Lord William’s coach was quite a feature in Calcutta Society, the
turn-out was smart, the driver cheery, and a good whip, small wonder
that most people liked to receive an invitation to accompany his
lordship on some of his jaunts. I have sat beside some pretty whips
one time and another in my life, far and away the most accomplished
being Lord William Beresford; next to him a good second was the late
Mr. Ben Cotton, for some time Master of the Isle of Wight Foxhounds.
One year after the races at Calcutta, where Lord William had been
riding in several and had a bad fall, dislocating his shoulder,
notwithstanding which he drove his coach laden with friends off the
course, through the thronged streets, the horses very fresh and
pulling hard; but beyond the fact that he was looking very white
nobody would have known anything was the matter with him, and all
reached their homes in safety.
Another day when returning from a picnic at the Botanical Gardens on
the opposite side of the river to Calcutta his coach-load had a near
shave of a nasty accident. Sir John Hext, who was on the staff of
two Viceroys with Lord Bill, was one of the party at the time, and
tells me they started away from the trysting-place rather late, when
it was quite dark, and somehow managed to miss the road; the horses
were longing to get away, and were scarcely under control. Having
got off the road the next thing to do was to get on again as soon as
possible, not an easy matter, but nobody spoke, and Lord William kept
his head; by a piece of dexterous driving he tooled them safely under
large low hanging branches of trees, round trunks of trees, and over
all sorts of uncomfortable places before reaching their destination.
All on board were holding their breath awaiting disaster at any
moment, happily none occurred, thanks to good driving.
I really think Lord William thoroughly enjoyed hairbreadth escapes;
he always seemed especially pleased after one that would have left
most people limp, to say the least of it. His driving powers were
certainly put to the test sometimes, and during exciting and critical
moments his eyes seemed to become bigger, bluer, and fiercer.
Coming over the Howrah Bridge one day, the hook of the pole-piece
came off and dropped the bars on to the leaders’ hocks. This not
being part of the usual programme they objected to it, not quite
knowing what was the proper thing to do under the circumstances,
whether to kick the thing to pieces, jump over the bridge, or run
away. Owing to their not being concerted in their action Lord William
decided it for them, allowing them a little of each, but none for
long; owing no doubt to these little concessions there was no
accident, but when all reached home safely a few pointed remarks were
made to the man who had been entrusted with the revarnishing of the
coach, in return for his forgetfulness in not bolting the pole-piece
on again properly.
Sir John Hext, now Rear-Admiral, was a great friend of Lord Bill’s
(they were on Lord Dufferin’s and Lord Lansdowne’s staff together),
he tells me an interesting story of his old friend; it happened at
the end of one of the Calcutta race weeks. As usual Lord William had
been hard at work all day. There was an extra large party staying
in Government House, it had overflowed to such an extent that Lord
William was obliged to put up tents in the grounds for some of the
young soldiers and men who were of the party. After dinner the
aides-de-camp’s room was full of men guests staying in the house. Lord
William came in late about 11.30 and, not seeing Sir John and Capt.
Harbord, fellow-staffites, curled up in arm-chairs at the far end of
the room, he proceeded to preach what was virtually a most excellent
sermon on the evils of gambling and racing, holding himself up as the
frightful example. Sir John says, “If that sermon could have been
taken down by a shorthand writer, and a few slight expurgations made,
it was one that any Bishop might have been proud to preach. Being
without exceptions the most practical sermon he ever heard in his
life.”
[Illustration: LORD WILLIAM BERESFORD IN 1886]
One of the most remarkable things about Lord William was his memory;
he never forgot anything and was the soul of punctuality, which
considering his multitudinous duties was praiseworthy. He was little
short of a genius, for even when Government House was crammed full
of guests to overflowing, all to be servanted and fed, each to be
treated with the consideration demanded by their rank, endless
dinners, parties, and receptions to be arranged with carefully
considered etiquette and precedence, people to be met, taken away,
amused; Rajahs’ and Nabobs’ interviews with His Excellency to be
arranged, the stables to be attended to, with at least sixty horses
for the use of the Government House party. This alone is no trifle.
It was part of Lord William’s work to have horses suitable to all
occasions. There must be tame and docile carriage-horses for Her
Excellency, who may be nervous, but they must step up to their noses
and look full of mischief, otherwise they would not be impressive and
therefore valueless for their purpose; as it is important that all
state ceremonials should be highly spectacular. Then the chargers for
His Excellency must understand birthday parades and _feux de joie_
for it would never do to have the Viceroy standing on his head in
the middle of the Maidan, while his charger either joined the crowd
of onlookers or returned to the stables. Lord William took endless
pains to train the horses to their special duties, like the Balaclava
heroes, guns were fired to the right of them, guns to the left of
them, just by way of practice and to teach them to behave nicely
and pretend they heard nothing, and if they did--well what matter.
There must also be plenty of carriages and horses at the disposal
of the guests. The mounts must be chosen to suit the prowess of the
individuals. One may want to cut a dash in a paper-chase, another
simply a gentle amble to eat the air, and so on. Once a Bath-chair
was requisitioned, but Lord William never turned a hair. A Bath-chair
was forthcoming at the time it was desired, where it came from was
a mystery. Then there were the viceregal tours already mentioned to
be arranged some time in advance. Picture what it means to write out
programmes for 365 days in advance--not for one person--but for many.
After all his duties had been attended to most punctiliously there
were his own horses and affairs requiring attention. Yet never was
there as much as a cushion forgotten for Her Excellency. Beyond a
tiny notebook and his shirt sleeves everything was carried in his
head. I have seen some wonderful notes on the cuffs of his shirt. An
English laundry-maid of an enquiring turn of mind might have compiled
an amusing diary from them, though a little cryptic. Seeing some
hieroglyphics on one of his cuffs one day at luncheon, I asked if I
might be permitted to know what they meant; he shot out the cuff and
showed it to me; it was not altogether easy to decipher, but with a
little assistance I read:
“Viceroy’s bath.” “Sack Syce.” “19 Guns.” “Pacify Mrs. B.”
He explained he had made a note of these little items requiring
attention. I asked if it was part of his duty to give the Viceroy a
bath, but he said, “No, but the bath leaked and his note reminded
him to replace it with a sound one.” “Sack Syce” meant there had
been slackness in the stables and a certain syce would have to go.
Nineteen guns sounded a big order and rather mysterious, but it had
to do with a Native Prince who considered he had not received enough
salutes or too many, I forget which, and his lordship wished to
adjust the matter. Then came “Pacify Mrs. B.” I gathered a certain
lady had been deeply pained at the way her name had been spelt on
one of the invitation cards, a very important “e” had been left out,
which made her name look quite commonplace, and she felt it had been
done on purpose. Lord William was going to put the matter straight
and the “e” in its right place.
It can easily be imagined the amount of correspondence Lord William
had to attend to, it was enormous, happily he had a clerk who wrote
so like him it was almost impossible to tell one from the other. The
Military Secretary was much praised for being such a good sort, fancy
so busy a man answering all the letters himself! That clerk was most
convenient.
Lord William used to tell some amusing stories of the way people
approached him with a view to using his influence with the Viceroy
in their favour. Various methods were adopted by those who wanted
his help, they mostly began by expressing great affection for his
lordship, and profound admiration.
Being a kind-hearted man, Lord Bill did his best to further
everybody’s wishes, and if they were in any way possible presented
the matter to His Excellency for consideration.
Occasionally some Native Chief thought he ought to have some
concessions, decorations or invitations, and asked Lord William to
help him in the matter, once when this had occurred and the answer
was longer coming than the Chief liked, he thought he would expedite
matters by making a handsome present to his lordship and at the
same time asking when his request was going to be granted. This, of
course, settled the matter, as it was undoubtedly meant as a bribe
and was reported at once to the Viceroy--needless to say the favour
was not granted.
It seems rather hard that while we, the British people, give presents
to the Chiefs, we are not allowed to receive any in return, that is
to say none of any value; but no doubt it is wise.
New Year’s Day is a great holiday in India, the birthday, so to
speak, of the Queen-Empress, January 1st being the anniversary of
the Delhi Durbar when she was declared Empress of India. There are
endless big parades all over India in honour of this occasion. At
Calcutta there is always a most imposing military parade which
everybody turns out to witness, putting on their best bibs and
tuckers, as their share in its impressiveness.
It is a busy and anxious day for the Military Secretary, for in
addition to all his other work he is wondering whether after all his
training, the Viceroy’s charger will behave properly when the dreaded
moment arrives for the firing of the _feu-de-joie_. The horses under
his care may have been properly broken--the horses belonging to other
people may not, and when the show begins if one horse begins playing
the fool in all probability others will follow suit. There is a vast
amount of ceremony attached to these parades. The Viceroy puts on
all his war paint, throws out his chest, and rides down the lines of
troops drawn up for his inspection, followed by his glittering staff,
everybody feels it behoves them to polish buttons and do an extra
brush up, even the Vice-reine’s coachman indulges in an extra shave
and endures the middle button of his coat buttoned up, just until the
ceremony is over.
Nobody takes the least notice of all these efforts to be extra smart;
but perhaps it would be noticed if they did not, and nobody would
perceive it more quickly than the Military Secretary.
After examining all the lines of troops drawn up for his inspection
the Viceroy returns to the saluting point, and the Artillery let
themselves go with ten rounds in the Imperial Salute followed with
the much dreaded _feu-de-joie_, when so much dignity is often _nolens
volens_ cast to the wind. On one of these birthday parades I remember
seeing the horse of a big official unship its rider and then after
various gallopings caused much confusion by playing tunes with its
heels on a big drum against which it seemed to bear some grudge,
when he had finished with it, it drummed no more, at any rate for
the time being; but to continue with the orthodox proceedings. After
this fusillade follows the National Anthem with all the massed bands
playing together, then the Artillery have another innings, until
thirty-one guns have done their best.
In all probability the Viceroy knows little about troops, what they
should look like, what they should do, or how many buttons make five
on the men’s uniforms, but his Military Secretary will have primed
him.
Everybody says it is a horrid bore, but they enjoy it all the same.
I must not forget one of the most important features in the day’s
show, namely, the final cheers for the Empress of India and the march
past. The cheering proves as trying to the horses generally as the
_feu-de-joie_.
We were trying to guess the number of people looking on, and asked
Lord William what he considered would be somewhere near the figure,
and he told us there were quite 100,000 on the Maidan, and it was not
an unusual number on these occasions.
The year 1886 brought several annoyances and disappointments to the
Military Secretary in connection with his racing. In the first place
Metal failed to win him the Viceroy’s Cup, which he had counted on;
Mr. Gasper, who has been already introduced to the reader, beating
him with Mercury. Coveting this horse his lordship made an offer
for him to Mr. Gasper, resulting in the grey Australian changing
his stable and his owner for the sum of 10,000 rupees, which was
considered cheap.
There was rather a tragic little episode at this meeting though
it had nothing to do with Lord William. A smart little chestnut
belonging to Mr. Abbott won The Trials in the shortest time on record
and dropped dead immediately after passing the winning-post from
rupture of the heart, poor little beast.
The first race Mercury ran for Lord William was for the Durbangah
Cup, and he won; following it up with the Kooch Behar Cup, but
in this race there was only one other horse against him, namely,
Mr. Mullick’s Sir Greville. This was really a very funny race as
evidently both jockeys had received orders to ride a waiting race,
this they did with a vengeance, for when the flag fell neither of
them hurried at all, but moved quietly along keeping boot to boot,
both being determined to wait, this manœuvre continued, much to
the amusement of the spectators until within half a mile from the
winning-post, when both sat down to ride for all they were worth.
Mercury won, but Mr. Mullick’s jockey pressed Dunn so closely into
the rails that poor Mercury got rather badly cut.
Another Beresford-Durbangah horse won the Alipore Plate and Bolero
the Jubilee Purse. At Tollygunge, though that good horse Prospero
won the Handicap Chase, poor Tim Whiffler, who had such a habit
of falling, this time turned head-over-heels when running for the
Ballygunge Cup, breaking his thigh and having to be shot.
Bad luck seemed to be dogging Lord William’s footsteps at this time,
for Mercury, who had been doing so well, and from whom great things
were hoped, caught a chill, followed by fever, from which he died.
Then again, after the annual move to Simla, and he was running
Little Nell in the Bazaar Stakes, on the Annandale Course, though he
won with her, there was a good deal of unpleasantness attached to
the race, owing to Captain Wood, of the 8th Hussars, who was also
riding a pony for a brother officer, and who came in second, lodging
a complaint directly after the race, saying Dunn, Lord William’s
jockey, had jostled him. This rather spoilt the pleasure of the
meeting for everyone. The race had been witnessed by a number of
people, friends of both parties in question; several thought they
could explain it all, and proceeded to air their views, hoping by
so doing to ease matters and straighten it out, instead of which,
further complications ensued. This was followed a little later at
Calcutta with fresh annoyance over the Arab named Euclid, belonging
to the Confederacy. Lord William heard some people had been making
remarks about the performances of this horse, which they seemed to
consider unsatisfactory; he therefore at once asked the stewards of
the Calcutta Turf Club to inquire into the matter and give their
opinion; this they did, saying they found nothing leading to any
such conclusion as had been suggested. So Lord William came out on
top.
For years Lord William declared no Australian horse could touch the
English, but Mercury caused him to change his mind, this horse’s
performances having been almost phenomenal. In consequence of being
bitten with the grey Australian, and not content with having between
twenty and thirty horses already in training, he gave the well-known
Australian dealer, Mr. Weekes, a commission to bring him one or two
of the “real things” from Melbourne.
When the dealer returned from Australia, he brought with him two
horses for Lord William, Myall King and Golden Gate. I do not
remember hearing of the latter doing anything encouraging, and Myall
King made a poor show to begin with, and his new master said a few
things not altogether complimentary to the dealer in connection with
his selection, but before long changed his mind, Myall King becoming
his greatest favourite, winning three Viceroy’s Cups for him, the
first on December 24th, 1887, value 7000 rupees. When Lord William
was leading his horse in after the race, thoroughly pleased and
happy, the excited and delighted Mr. Weekes, who had purchased the
horse for his lordship and who had been brooding over the names he
had been called when first he brought Myall King over, rushed up to
Lord William holding out his hand for joy, saying, “Now do you still
say I am a something something thief?”
“No,” replied Lord Bill, taking the proffered hand; “indeed you are
all something something right.”
“Then you will come and stay with me in Melbourne, won’t you?”
“Of course I will,” said his lordship, only too anxious to move on.
Myall King also won the Durbangah Cup, £150, on the 30th of the same
month.
In the summer of 1887 Lord William bought up the lease of the Dehra
Doon course, over which he spent some time and trouble, getting it
into good order; he kept it up entirely at his own expense until
he left India. He removed all his horses there, also the Viceregal
horses, being a good climate for them.
People in India were beginning to be rather frightened of Lord
William’s string of horses, saying it was no use entering theirs
against him, that they had no chance. I remember hearing a good deal
of this at Lucknow, but it was not quite a fact, as his lordship
found out to his cost occasionally. He certainly had a formidable
string of horses, and he wanted to be on top, where to a certain
extent he was, but in racing there is always the element of chance to
be reckoned with, horses going wrong, jockeys making mistakes, and
no end of other things to be taken into consideration. He sent his
horses to all parts of India for race meetings, even to Poona.
The Spring Meeting at Lucknow of 1888 inaugurated one of his
lordship’s most successful racing years in India. I always feel sorry
he was not able to carry out all his racing single-handed, but he did
it on such a big scale it became more than one pocket could stand,
hence the partnership. The Lucknow races in February brought in 7625
rupees in stakes alone--
Empress winning the All Ponies Handicap Dunn riding
Myall King ” Stewards’ Purse Dunn ”
Lavercost ” Derby Tingey ”
Little Nell ” Mahamet Bagh Plate Elliott ”
In March at Meerut followed more wins, Little Nell, Solheil, Bob,
Treasure, and Lavercost roping in 3015 rupees in stakes between them.
The Dufferins’ term of office was up in 1888. They had the pleasure
of seeing the new Viceregal Lodge finished before their departure,
and enjoyed its roomy comfort after the very circumscribed Peterhoff.
Against that they had the discomfort of the move from one house to
the other, with one half of their possessions in one house and the
other half in the other, when, as usually happens on such occasions,
whatever is wanted is sure to be where they are not.
Lord Dufferin had done a good deal of useful work in India,
undertaking various reforms and costly measures that his predecessors
had seen the advisability of, but postponed, fearing the expense; he
consequently left the country (I am told) with a decided financial
deficit, to be dealt with by someone else.
On his retirement he was created Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, the
latter taken from the city of that name a few miles from Mandalay.
Of course there was the usual speculation as to whether Lord William
would stay on as Military Secretary. India without Lord William
seemed at that time an impossible thing to contemplate.
It might be imagined after so many years of India, combined with the
exceptionally strenuous life he led, that his spirits and ceaseless
stream of humour and fun might have begun to fail him, yet this was
far from the case, he still led the van in fun and frolic.
As the time drew near for the departure of the Dufferins, he issued
the proper and usual orders for all concerned, leaving nothing
unthought of for everyone’s comfort. Then, wag as he was, he issued
the following order, and had it delivered in print to the A.D.C. in
attendance on the departing Viceregal party.
_Rules to be observed by the A.D.C. in attendance on their
Excellencies the Viceroy and the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava
after their departure from Calcutta and until their arrival at Aden._
1. The A.D.C. in waiting will have the kindness to report himself
every morning in the undress uniform of His Excellency’s staff, and
will appear in the same at every station at which any officials
meet His Excellency.
2. At early Tea, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner he will wear a sword.
3. During their Excellencies’ stay at Bombay the A.D.C. in waiting
will always appear in uniform.
4. On board the _Kaiser-i-Hind_ the A.D.C. in waiting will visit
the decks at 4 a.m. and will see that the cleaning operations are
performed quietly.
5. He will be so good as not to wear boots before 7 a.m.
6. He will be so obliging as to appear in uniform at breakfast and
to wear it until sunset.
7. The A.D.C. in waiting will take His Excellency’s orders after
breakfast, and in the event of his services not being required
by the outgoing Viceroy, he will be so kind as to see if Her
Excellency wishes to be supported on deck, or if the young ladies
need assistance.
8. The A.D.C. in waiting will be so good as personally to submit
to the Captain any wishes the ladies’ maids may express, and to
endeavour to have them carried out.
9. The A.D.C. in waiting will please see that the chairs, cushions,
rugs, and books of His Excellency and of the ladies are arranged on
the deck by 10 a.m.
10. At 12 o’clock he will kindly see that they all have Beef Tea.
11. He will be expected to render assistance to the Captain in
every emergency, and to be the master of all the ceremonies during
fine weather.
12. As His Excellency’s policeman does not accompany him to Aden,
the A.D.C. in waiting must endeavour to learn a few Persian stories
for the occasion, which he will repeat to His Excellency for one
hour daily while pacing up and down the deck.
13. He will also, while listening to the Persian stories which His
Excellency will relate to him, say “Hau” at intervals of one second
during the whole time the narrative continues. He will also be kind
enough to wear an expression of profound attention.
14. In rough weather the A.D.C. in waiting will be permitted to put
on a waterproof coat over his uniform and to use his chin strap.
15. His services can on no occasion be dispensed with during the
first five days of the voyage; he will therefore be expected to
keep in good health, and can on no pretext be allowed to call for
the services of the steward.
16. At Aden the A.D.C. in waiting will be relieved from duty.
(Signed) WILLIAM BERESFORD, Lieut.-Col.,
Military Secretary to the Viceroy.
SIMLA, _November 6th, 1888_.
The A.D.C. in question, of course, knew Lord Bill’s little ways, how
much was earnest and how much fun, and appreciated the thoughtful
concession of allowing a chin strap and waterproof to be used during
rough weather, for more reasons than one.
It was shortly before the Dufferins left India that Lord William
and five other members of the Viceroy’s staff in one of their
lighter moments when dressed in their racing kit, jumped into a
merry-go-round for a ride and were snapshotted. Lord William is on
the extreme right sitting sideways; next to him in front is Capt.
Roddy Owen; standing up in the striped jacket is Capt. Burn,
generally known as “Handsome Charlie”; then comes Capt. Harbord (now
Lord Suffield) riding a finish; behind him Capt. Leonard Gordon and
Capt. H. Legge. A light-hearted little party, overflowing with good
humour and health, much of which was the result of the amount of
exercise they were in the habit of taking. Sportsmen and those of
an energetic tendency keep their health much longer when in India
than their brethren who resign themselves to the climate with books,
eating, drinking, and sleep, the latter being the natural consequence
of the former.
[Illustration: THE VICEROY’S STAFF IN LIGHTER MOMENTS]
Feeling a little holiday would be beneficial Lord William went home
in April on three months’ leave, his string of forty odd horses
remaining at Dehra Doon in the pleasant cool shade of its many fine
trees, but before leaving he attended the March Umballa Meeting, when
his Treasure won two races, the Service Stakes 900 rupees, Capt.
Macdougall riding, and the open Pony Race 850 rupees, Dunn riding;
Eunice the Paget Park Plate 300 rupees, Melbourne Plate with Myall
King 200 rupees, Dunn riding.