49th Foot; C. Madan, R.N. Of these, Somerville and C. Madan were killed in action, and Borough died during the siege of Sevastopol. The roll of my schoolfellows present in India during the Mutiny is equally large. Two were killed in action W. G. H. Bankes, 7th Hussars, and L. E. Cooper, of the Rifle Brigade-both at Lucknow. One was wounded: Sir J. H. T. Farquhar, at Chinhut. The following-J. H. Walwyn, 23rd Fusiliers; C. S. Steward, Madras Cavalry; A. A. Johnson, Madras Native Infantry; C. F. Gregorie, 23rd Fusiliers ; A. Waterfield, Bengal Cavalry; T. Lavie, 24th Madras Native Infantry; R. F. Burton, 102nd Regiment; J. Biddulph, 5th Bengal Cavalry; and B. F. Schomberg, 49th Madras Native Infantry-also served in the Mutiny. Add to these Charles Mure, 43rd Light Infantry, who had previously served in the Crimea, killed in New Zealand in 1864; and E. H. Lenon, 67th Foot, who received the V.C. for gallant conduct at the taking of the Taku Forts in 1861. A goodly record for the old school, and a heavy death-roll-five lives out of the twenty-five names that I have enumerated. Before parting from 'green,' I must say a few words respecting the half after Christmas; it was a short half, and cricket and 'water' commenced before the end of it. The challenges also interfered with our games. Football was played only in a half-hearted sort of way, and other sports were introduced. Jumping with or without a pole was a favourite amusement, and on one occasion hockey was introduced, played with a football and gigantic sticks; the football required a good swing to drive it, and the good old hockey rule of 'No stick raised above the knee' was being constantly broken, with the natural consequence of broken heads for the players. The authorities interfered, hockey was stopped, and poor Ballman's new trade in hockey-sticks was nipped in the bud; we who had already provided ourselves with the necessary bludgeon were much aggrieved. Games at quoits, too, were occasionally played, generally an end or two going on at the bottom of green,' at the beginning of this half. How it came about that our three divisions of the school year were always called 'halves' I am unable to explain, but so it was. CHAPTER X 'WATER' Choosing the eight-The various boats, etc.-The Barges-Boatbuilders The Jacks-The heavy fours-Water glossary-The cups and rudder-Water register, 1853-Various pulls. IN my last chapter I have mentioned the general slackness, as to football, in the first half of the year. All that time we were looking forward for fine weather and warmer days, in hopes of the order for 'water' and 'fields'—that is, rowing and cricket— coming out. This generally occurred about the end of March or the beginning of April, and a blessed day it was. Then began the selection of the eight for the coming season; likely oarsmen were tried in gig pairs, and old hands, such as Pat Colquhoun-I should say Sir Patrick and Jack Wright were called into council. The leaving of the senior election' always caused a certain number of vacancies in the eight. Some of these were generally filled from the second eight, but this was rather the refuge of second-class oars, men who had been tried and found wanting in former years, so there was always a chance for an outsider. In 1853 there were a number of vacancies to fill. [ 103 ] Almost all the old oars had left, or were leaving at Whitsuntide R. B. Berens, E. O. Vincent, O. Salvin, C. Upperton, E. V. Williams, and last, but not least, Jack Wright, afterwards so well known as an oarsman at St. Margaret's, Cambridge, as stroke against Oxford in 1854, and in the sculling world; in fact, the old eight of 1852 was practically wiped out, and a new start had to be made. At first the Queen's Scholars, many of the seniors of the coming year having been in the second eight, proposed to select a number of their own men, cutting out the town boys. This was not to be stood, so we started a rival eight, getting promise of three stalwart town boys from the cricket elevenSpencer Fellows, Julius Alington, and Henley Eden -all good oars. These, with Lord R. Grosvenor, Hon. E. Bourke, J. Gray, myself, and L. V. Williams, Q.S. (who had thrown in with us), made up a strong crew, which could easily have beaten any crew that the Queen's Scholars could have put on. They gave in, and a compromise was arranged. Five collegers were chosen W. Hawthorn, C. T. Wilson, R. M. Freeman, C. S. Steward, and L. V. Williams; and three town boys: E. R. Bourke, J. Gray, and F. Markham, with Minto Farquhar, T.B., as cox. I had never rowed in an eight-oar, and I can well remember my pride and delight at jumping from stroke in a heavy four to No. 2 in the first eight. I also remember how one's oar slipped through the water in the eight, in comparison with the long heavy drag in the heavy four. This reminds me of the first attempt made by R. F. Burton in an eight-oar. An oar had failed us; no one else except Burton, then a small boy, was at the Barges; he was put in at bow, caught a 'crab' first stroke, and went heels over head in the bows. In 1854 T. Morton, F. Catt, W. W. Follett, and J. L. Sim took the places vacated by Hawthorn, Wilson, Onslow, and Steward. In 1855 I found myself left with only three of the old crew-Gray, Catt, and Follett; the following were selected in the place of those who were leaving: J. P. Ingham, E. O. Berens, H. G. E. Green, and S. G. Freeman, the three last being younger brothers of oarsmen that I have already mentioned, Walwyn taking the rudder lines in 1854, and Cowell in 1855. The three crews that I rowed with were, therefore : 1853. 1. C. S. Steward, Q.S. 2. F. Markham, T.B. 3. J. Gray, T.B. 4. W. Hawthorn, Q.S. 5. Hon. E. R. Bourke, T.B. 1854. 1. J. L. Sim, Q.S. 2. W. W. Follett, Q.S. 3. F. Catt, Q.S.* 4. J. Gray, T.B. 5. T. Morton, T.B. 6. F. Markham, T.B. 1. J. P. Ingham, Q.S. 3. E. O. Berens, T.B. 5. F. Catt, Q.S. 6. F. Markham, T.B. Cox: J. J. Cowell, Q.S. * F. Catt afterwards took the name of Willett. |