Year: 1873

=
count of some of the commencement ex
ercises At West Point.


To those who enjoy an exhibition of
skill in the performance of something
that is very hazardous, the drill in what /
is called the school of the trooper is an
amusement of absorbing interest. There /
is nothing in the country that comes so
near TO gratifying that universal taste
sometimes stronger and sometimes weak
er, though none the less universal, which
in olden times drew thousands upon
thousands to fill the Roman Coliseum
We have just had one of these exhibi-
tions at the riding hall. That building
is the largest one in the United States
devoted to equestrian purposes. being
2lS feet long by IS feet wide. The entire
space is one arena, the only accommoda-
ton for spectators being two small gal
leries, one on each side, and elevated
about fifteen feet above the ground. !


The building not being round the
arena issmade slightly oval in shape by
means of piling up earth in each of the
four corners. The ground is covered by
tan bark to the depth of three or four
inches, and each time before an exercise
takes place this is loosened up and made
smooth and even by means of narrowing.
For several minutes before sport begins
the two galleries are packed with spec
tators who tremble with excitement as
the twenty fiery chargers trot in from
the side entrance, led by grooms. One
gallery contains the President of the
United States, the generals of the ar
mics, the official board of visitors. be-
sides considerable number of guests,
chiefly old graduates of the academy.


Face to face with these distinguished
spectators are the occupants of the other
gallery-many of them fair young ladies
whose good graces the youthful perform
ers who will presently appear are anx-
ions to win. Though the air is cool and
refreshing in this spacious theater, those
young ladies are tanning themselves
vigorously, and their cheeks betray the
great interest they take in the coming
performance.


Suddenly the wide door through which
the horses have come swings open again,
and in come the twenty troopers, their
long sabers dangling at their sides.


Each rider seized his horse by the
bride reigns and the grooms retire. The
captain, mounted on a handsome bay.
after all is ready gives the command to
mount, and in an instant every man is
in the saddle. Other commands are then
given, and the troops, after wheeling
about, dividing into single files. ETC.,
finally take up their stand, ten horses in
one end of the hall and ten in the other,
the companies standing face. The at
tendants then bring in the parapherna-
liza. This consists of four posts with
feet, so that they will stand on level
ground, one of which post rs set in each
corner of the arena, and leather ball,
the size of a mans head, is placed on
top. On each side Of the long hall
tall crane is erected, the arm extending
over the track to be taken by the horses
and from the arm depends ring six in
ches in diameter.


| Between the cranes and each corner
post is a leather ball lying on the ground,
being four in all. These are the imagi
nary foes of the mounted soldier. 1t
will be seen that he has ten enemies to
combat in going over this short distance


The captain gives the word of COM
mand, and one man from each squad
spurs his horse gently and rides across
the arena obliquely. Just before the
two meet they draw their revolvers, and
holding them in an upright position,
ride onto the end of the hall and there
! fall into the course. Each man puts
spurs to his horse and discharges his
pistol at the heal Of the first post. He
then quickly dcposites that weapon in
the pouch and snatches his sabre from
the scabbard on the opposite side. As
the pistol goes bang, the horse springs
into break k-neck gallop. The saber
goes clang, and is no sooner out than it
swoops down upon the head of the first
prostrate man. Up it comes with the
rapidity Of lightning, and ping, it goes
through the ring depending from the
crane overhead Down it comes with
thud, and an other mans head is gone.


Up it comes, the hilt even with the
riders hip, the point leveled forward,
and in half of second it darts out like
the tongue of a cobra, and off goes the
head of the man at the corner.


AT the next corner the saber has been
raised and comes down with a sweep,
cutting off another head 1t swings
once and comes to the ground, annihIla-
ting the third PROSTATE man, comes up
like a flash and forces the other ring,
goes down again with asweep at anoth-
er foe on the ground, and finishes with
letting daylight into the Uranium of the
| Last standing foe ON the corner. Ten at