The day after (or, more correctly, the same day) I arrived at
Craigduff, where I received a hearty Irish welcome. The first evening
with young Felworth was passed much in the same manner as a previous
one with Russell. After tea, three rubbers of long whist closed the
evening. Though I listened with close attention, I never heard the
word "Units" mentioned.
The following morning, Frederick Felworth took me over the grounds and
farm, where I saw much to admire. Every thing was well arranged; and
even in the minutest matters I could detect the constant
superintendence of a master.
"We will keep the stables for the last," said Felworth, "because they
are the best; and I flatter myself I can show you a stud unrivalled in
numerous respects."
These words were spoken with an increased animation, giving clear
evidence wherein his tastes lay.
"These two stables on this side of the yard each contain four horses.
There is a harness-room, you see, between them, and a loose-box at the
lower end of the farthest. We may as well go into the first one,
although you will see nothing in it but two fat family carriage-horses
and two ponies. The first of these lesser quadrupeds is my Aunt's,
which she drives in a small car on her numerous charitable visits. The
other is the Governor's, which he occasionally rides. Now let us come
to the next stable, which is mine solely and peculiarly; and if my
stud does not astonish and delight you, all I can say is I will be
much disappointed."
With this preface we entered. The stable was well fitted up in every
respect. There were three horses in the stalls, and one in a
loose-box, which opened into the stable. Felworth stood for several
minutes in a sort of admiring gaze, merely remarking that he had not
seen his "pets" that day before, while they showed every symptom of
pleasure at his appearance. During this time I took a preliminary look
at the favourites individually. The first was an active-looking,
compact, black horse, with a fierce, unsettled expression of eye, and
several blemishes on his legs, while a chain attached from the wall to
the post prevented the unwary stranger from approaching too close. The
second was a powerful bay mare, with many good points, but little
beauty. The third was a remarkably handsome bay horse, of high
breeding. He was out of work, however, one of his legs being bound up.
The fourth was a thoroughbred gray horse, one of the finest animals I
ever beheld.
"Now," said Felworth, "I would much like to have an 'opinion' from
you. Tell me candidly what you think of my nags."
"I am no great critic," I replied; "but every one nowadays must be a
judge of horse-flesh. Whether or not the schoolmaster is abroad, there
is no excuse for ignorance on that subject. It strikes me that there
is great variety in your stud."
"You are right there."
"I do not much like the bearing of the black horse. I fear he is
rather eccentric."
"He is a little wayward."
"I cannot say that I admire the mare very much; she appears a homely,
useful sort of animal."
"She is a real good one though; much better than she looks. She is
famous in the shafts with the black horse before her; but I hope you
will have ocular demonstration of that to-morrow. What think you of
the bay?"
"He is a very nice horse; but he is in the stall of sickness, and
therefore we will pass over him; but the gray delights me. I would say
he is a Ganymede, a regular cupbearer."
"Well," said Felworth, "since you have spoken so discreetly, I will
tell you all about them; and, first of all, their names. The black
horse I call 'UNITS.'"
"Units! Units! Units!!!" exclaimed I.
"Yes, Units. The bay mare 'TENS;' the bay horse 'HUNDREDS;' and the
gray 'THOUSANDS.' I must give you the reasons of their nomenclature.
The first cost me £5; the second £20. I bought her from a tenant on
the property who was emigrating to Canada; and, very unjockey-like, I
gave him just what he asked. I designed her for the farm; but her
paces proved so good that she was advanced to the exalted position in
which you see her. The bay horse I purchased in England, and gave 70
guineas for him. I call him 'Hundreds,' because he is worth hundreds.
He is a beautiful horse in appearance, and then he is an excellent
roadster, and a well-trained hunter. He met with an accident at the
end of the season, but is in the fair way of recovery. His temper is
unequalled."
"I presume he resembles Units in that particular," said I.
"Indeed he is far from it; but here we are with my gallant gray.
Ganymede you are, and Ganymede I hope you will be! Win the county cup
but once more, old fellow, and then it will be our own! This horse was
bred on the farm here; he is the produce of a gray mare that you may
recollect my father mounted on in our birch-rod days. He deserves the
name of 'Thousands' undeniably; for Lord Oxfence, who was in the
regiment with me, offered a '_carte blanche_' for him."
"No wonder," said I, "that your sister is so devout a believer in
phrenology, when she sees such effects of the development of 'number.'
But you have said nothing as yet of Units. I have heard of him before,
and I confess I have a singular interest in him."
"Oh! never mind what Fanny says about him, for she entertains
unfounded prejudices against him."
"Perhaps she does; but tell me what is that contrivance in the ceiling
right above him? A pulley, is it not?"
"It is a pulley," replied Felworth; "but, since you are desirous to
hear, I had better begin from the commencement, and tell you the
entire history of this extraordinary animal, whose fame has reached
Westminster Hall. The man who owns the coach which passes this house
attended an auction in Dublin of cast horses from a dragoon regiment
about a year and a half since, and among them was exhibited the horse
before you. Of course he had managed to get a private opinion from the
sergeant in charge; and the account he heard of my dark friend was,
'_that they had had him only three months, and that he was an
untamable devil_.' When a regiment could not subdue him, who could?
Notwithstanding, from his superior shape, the proprietor bid for him,
and purchased him for something under five pounds. When he took him to
his stables, he found that the horse would not suffer an article of
harness to be put on him. This was bad enough. However, some days
after, by the assistance of all the men about the yard, they did
succeed. The horse was allowed to remain in that state all night, and
was put in as near-side wheeler in the coach which was to leave
Dublin that morning. The proprietor himself undertook to drive
him--for he is a famous hand in that way, and many a vicious horse has
he brought to reason. By good luck I happened to be a passenger
myself.--(Look, I beg of you, at the intelligence of his expression!
He knows we are talking of him.) Well, as I said, I was on the coach,
and beside the proprietor, while the regular coachman was immediately
behind us. The horse started pretty fairly. To be sure he made a
plunge or two, but the traces were strong, and his companions stout
and steady. For several miles we came along as pleasantly as needs be,
and never did I see a horse do his business in better style. It was
during this period that I heard the horse's previous history; and
further, I was told that, in the way of harnessing him, once the
saddle was on his back, (though it was no easy task to get it there,)
the remainder of the business had been easy. I hope you are not
tired.--Well, as you wish me, I will finish my history. Just at the
third milestone I felt a shock on the soles of my feet as if I had
been receiving the bastinado. I need not say this was from the heels
of Units on the under side of the board on which my feet rested. In a
moment after, the performance was repeated, with this difference, that
the blow was rather lower. But it was more serious; for on this
occasion he struck the front-boot with such force, that he was unable
to withdraw his foot, which went right through the board; and the
consequence was, that he fell against the pole. Had the other
wheel-horse not been as steady as a rock, we would have gone right
over. As it was, the driver pulled up at once; and immediately the
coachman and I were at the heads of the other horses. After several
terrific struggles, Units contrived to disengage himself. You see the
marks of the transaction still on his pastern; but do not go too near
him, for he is too thoroughly Irish to endure a Saxon. As soon as we
had loosed him from the coach, the proprietor directed the coachman to
take him back to Dublin, and to bring another horse. 'And tell the
fore-man' said he, 'to have him shot before I return this evening. I
shall lose only five pounds, and I will have no person's blood on my
head for that sum.' 'Stay,' said I, 'I will give you five pounds for
him, and take him with all his imperfections on his head, and on his
heels too.' I must say that the man was unwilling, but I carried my
point."
"And what on earth did tempt you to buy such a brute?"
"The fact was, the hunting season was over, and I wanted some
amusement, as I was rather in delicate health. India is severe on the
liver."
"Had you foreseen your circumstances, you might have brought a tiger
home with you. But how did you get the horse to Craigduff?"
"In the neatest and quickest possible way. I borrowed a rope from the
guard, and having made a temporary halter, I went to the back part of
the coach, and led him the whole way. It is forty miles, at seven
miles an hour, and he did the journey with ease. I was sure then that
I was possessed of a trump. But I must cut the matter short; for it
would keep you the whole day if I told you how we succeeded in
managing him. It was altogether by kindness, and a gradual discovery
of his little peculiarities. The pulley you inquired about, I look
upon as the greatest invention. It lets down the saddle upon his back,
and then, as I told you, he is quiet. It annually saves the life of a
man or two."
"I told you," said I, taking advantage of a momentary pause, "that I
had a great interest in the horses: pray tell, me, can you make any
use of him?"
"Any use of him! why he is the most useful animal in the world:--an
excellent saddle-horse; a first-rate jumper. He was not in my
possession three weeks when I won the five pounds he cost me. My
neighbour, Sir Edward, rode over here one morning on his famous horse
Thunderbolt, and he thought proper to call my new purchase
'Beelzebub.' This rather provoked me; and I offered to bet him the sum
I spoke of that I would pound him in twenty minutes; and this I did,
in half the time, by jumping his own park wall, which is near six feet
high. The horse must be ridden in a snaffle, as young Flixton could
tell you. He thought himself very wise, and insisted on having a
curb: the consequence was, that the very moment 'Units' felt it, he
started off right across the country, and his rider and he parted
company in the river below, near Mrs Vernon's house. Flixton was not
the least hurt; but a muddier, wetter, or angrier man you never saw.
Alice Vernon and I happened to be witnesses of the whole affair; and
she laughed,--how she did laugh!" (I will not display my horsemanship
before her, thought I.) "He is a pleasant horse in single harness,"
continued Felworth; "and, if he did kick the market-cart to pieces, it
was owing to the carelessness of the servant in letting the reins fall
down about his feet. And if he did upset the gig and break my
collar-bone, it was my own fault. I knew he could not bear the sudden
opening out of an umbrella; and I ought to have called out to the man,
or turned the horse's head away. He is an excellent leader in tandem,
and very safe. He is certainly playful in starting with the other
horse behind him; but then we know his ways. But you will have ocular
demonstration of his performance in that way to-morrow, for I am
obliged to attend at sessions, in a village about seven miles off, and
we shall drive over after breakfast. Your curiosity about 'Units' is
now, I am sure, more than satisfied."