The morning call., 1892-12-25

tator. close to the offside Of the peg, /
stood 10 watch the charges as nearly "end
on. as was safe to risk.
The first lancer cantered gently past the
peg: and. wheeling round, returned 10 his
position about 100 yards below
Shaking himself firmly into his saddle
ana bringing his lance TO the charge, his
ready horse bounded forward at the touch
OF the spur and like a whirlwind the pair
approached. the thunder of the horses hoofs
cry of his rider.
Within thirty feet of the peg the trooper
leaned low down TO the right, and, gripping
MS spear. plunged it through the wooden
board as he raced past at a hard gallop. A
quick turn OF the wrist and fierce grill
on the lance tore the wooden peg out of tine
hard ground in which il had been imbedied.
and. with series of graceful whirls of his
peg-ended lance. the rider swung himself
straight into the saddle again as he galloped
away with the herce momentum of the
charge
The pext lancer. at full gallop. miscalcu-
lated TO an inch or so, and striking the edge
OF fresh peg, broke off heavy splinter
without carrying away his trophy as de-
manded by the rules OF the sport.
Charge after charge took place for THE
next two hours. The peaceful start. the
fiery rush of flying hoofs. the wild and stir
ring war-crles of the riders and the gen.
orally exciting spirit of the scene kent up
.
Sometimes Sikh would plunge his lance
into the turf an inch or two on one side of
the peg aud deity extricate himself from a
perilous wrench and ugly fall by the prac-
tleed turn OF the wrist which cleared the
reversed lance handle from his back and
arm
According to military necessity every
lance was firmly leather-thopged to the
lancer's wrist. so that there were no means
of letting go the lance when 1t had plOwed
IN aSp he
q1ences could only be obtained by the
orthodox twist aud "cear" at the right
second of time during the charge.
After the SikhS came the ambitious civil
Ian. anxious to test his eye and hand and
mettle.
The more cautious riders rode with lances
unattached about the wrist. so shat false
thrust frequently found them gall0ping
lanceless away. while the instrument itself
remained erect upon the turf till they rode
back to Ii amid vOlley of chaff and
banter. for which Anglo-Indians are far
famed
Others again would strike and perforate
the peg. galloping on unable TO twist and
wrench it from its strong hold upon the
ground: riding back to regain their weapon
subject to the same derisive penalties as
their less accurate but equally unfortunate
companions.
One youth with more valor than discre-
ton slipped the lance-thong over his wrist.
steeplechase, and an eye trained at billiards
and rife-practlee, rode a gallant charge
with true precision.
Piercing the peg squarely In the middle.
ne was unable TO manage the relieving twist
and next moment was wrenehed from his
saddle 10 meet with a heavy fall and
sprained arm, while his steed galloped rider
less away.
Another tyro afforded wild amusement
by bis desperate charge and sudden
a n un
the moment it had struck the sod couple
of feet on the rear side OF the peg. The
next moment he was galloping along. COVER
Ing 10 his horses neck while the loose
spear, with rapid momentum, chased him
end over end for some 200 feet or so.
A gentle youth devoid OF humor noun ted
on an ancient shanghai pony" next con-
vulsed the audience. Gayly attired in dndiSh
cOloTs and armed with a mighty lance,
specially imported for himself from India
he constantly charged the frm-set peg.
The broken down old pony, warranted
quiet 10 ride" was full of Chinese cunning
Sooner than stand the shock of the charge
when lance strikes peg he had learnt to
ter at the moment the thrust takes place
and then re-canter slowly onward. Under
these circumstances all danger was removed.
As rule the steed miscalcnlated dis
tances, and coming to pause at a wrong
distance would leave his rider stopping and
thTusting at the peg without being able to
even reach 1t with a deliberate poke.
He would then cRDteT on amid roars Of
laughter from the disrespectful audience
and hypercritical announcement from the
''chaffers." who would urge the rider to ''try
agsin-he was all right but the horse wanted
practice
1t has never been my good fortune as an in
fautryman to stand the charge of cavalry in
the open. Therefore ] availed myself of
the opportunity TO get a taste of what IL
would be like by standing close to the peg
and let the chargers pass me within three
or four feet.
The experience satisfied me. With lively
Imagination | was easily enabled to picture
myself, armed with bayoneted rife, stand
Ing to meet charge from lancer.
The spectacle OF horse and rider advancing
like locomotive while the ground shook
beneath their rushing weight-ihe savage
eye and foam flecked breast of the excited
charger-the half-concealed body of the
mounted horsemaU. and the painful promi
hence of the lance, made me feel very weak
and small as the cyclonic couple charged by.
The fact that infantrynen win laures
| from cayalrymeB In bay0net versus sword
and lance / accepted without understand
ing why.
My impression at every charge was that
had only an unlOaded rife and bayonet to
meet such charge L should at least have
| grown small enough to crawl down the bar
rel and LAY low till the troop bowled by"
GEORGE TEMPLER.