The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-06-23
WEST POINT ACROBATs.
The Cadets Treat Their Visitors to Circus
Show.

Show.
An interesting feature of the West
Point Military Academy on Thursday
last was the mounted exercises of the
cadets in the riding hall. BY the time
Secretary of War Endicott and party AZ
rived, Capt Augur had u line of horse
men before him. The men wore their
gray fatigue suits and all sat their horses
well. At a word they started off one
after another and swept about the area at
a gallop. Then sabrcs were drawn and
the drill commenced. First the blade
was brought down upon an imaginary
foe at the right, then it was twirled in
air, next thrust forward, again backward,
and last a sweeping slash was made to
the left. Once the horses were i'll line,
the men stood ut their heads. "Mount." !"
In twinkhng, every cadet was in air.
In another, without touching n stirrup,
he was in the saddle Another com
mand. The men were on their feet
again, but only to vault clean over sad
die and all and stand ready at the other
side. Then up again III the saddle.
They twisted around, now facing for
ward, now backward and again side
ways. And while they SO drilled two
uprights were fixed at distance of about
fifty feet from each other with pad as
big as cap fixed upon each with Il han
die attached to it. At a word the caval-
rymen dashed off. Now one came along
at full gallop, leaned over as he reached
the upright till his hand was below the
level of the stirups, and in full career
picked up one pad after another and
tossed it behind him. 1t was feat re-
qniring coolncss and address, but nearly
all executed it satisfactorily.
Next the pad was placed upon an up
right the height of man, and ut the
same distance as before another was
placed on Il lower stand Between them
was placed horizontally beam resting
on two 'lprights-a good, stiff Jump for
Il horse III such limited space, and one
requiring a rider to have his brain clear
The word was given. a horscman came
galloping on. AS he reached the taller
stand he drew II revolver 1t flashed, and
the pad, struck by the bullet, tumbled
of, while the horse dashing on was Il
moment after lifted over the bar in Il
flying jump. Round still the horscman
went, his comrades following one by one
And now as he approached the stand ON
which the pad is replaced he has his
sabre out. He slashcs at it, hits it fairly,
and almost before it reaches the ground
he is over the bar; his sabre cuts an arc
through the air as he leans over his
horses shoulder and toSSeS up with II
great slash II bunch of tanbark, and then
just recovering in his saddle he brings
down the blade with sweep upon the
pad OF the second upright and toSses it
off
In the next exercise the uprights and
pads are still there, but III place of the
jump is a high pole with transverse
bar, from which hangs just within reach
of II horscman' sabre an iron ring only
IL few inches in diameter And through
all this, too, the horses go around ut the
top OF their speed, the feat repeated
again and again, II few failing, but nearly
all successful
Next saddles are removed and the men
ride bareback Mt will. There is no circus
performance like this spectacle. The
place Is full of bounding stccds; some
with riders leaning over their shoulders
till their hands sweep the ground; some
lying at full length upon their backs;
some facing to the rear, but guiding them
with spur and rein; some jumping on
and off, like circus riders, while the ami
NAL is going at the top of his speed, and
some vauting clean over them and keep
ing up the pace. 1T is thrilling specta-
Gle, which n burst of applause rewards,
and then the men repeat their exciting
drill, training by couples on half the
number of horses. 1t would be called n
gallant equestrian show anywhere. An
old officers comment interpreted the
general opinion: 81 never saw better
riders"