Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 1.djvu/80

74

NOTES AND QUERIES.

[12 S. I. JAN. 22, 1916. Presuming this is the same house as the one referred to by as demolished in 1841, it is strange that it should be regarded in the past tense by Allen, whose preface is dated 1827. Were there in reality two houses involved in these conflicting accounts?

(11 S. xii. 140, 186, 209, 463).—It was suggested at the second reference that Drake or one of the buccaneers made use of wild cattle in an expedition on the Spanish Main. In place of vague recollection a definite instance can now be given. Wild cattle were employed by the Spaniards against Morgan's buccaneers in the battle that preceded the sack of the city of Panama in the year 1670:—

"The Governour of Panama put his Forces in Order, consisting of 2 Squadrons, 4 Regiments of Foot, and a huge number of wild Bulls, which were driven by a great number of Indians, with some Negro's, and others, to help them."—Exquemelin, 'Bucaniers of America,' London, 1684, part iii. chap. v. p. 48.

"They [the Spaniards] attempted to drive the Bulls against them at their Backs, and by this means put them into Disorder. But the greatest part of that wild Cattel ran away, being frighted with the noise of the Battel. And some few that broke through the English Companies, did no other harm than to tear the Colours in pieces [presumably because they were red]; whereas the Bucaniers shooting them dead, left not one to trouble them thereabouts."—P. 50.

According to a Spanish captain who was taken prisoner and very strictly examined,

"Their whole Strength did consist in 400 Horse, 24 Companies of Foot, each being of 100 Men compleat, 60 Indians [they are 600 in the original Dutch 'Zeeroovers'], and some Negro's, who were to drive 2,000 wild Bulls, and cause them to run over the English Camp, and thus by breaking their Files, put them into a total Disorder and Confusion."—P. 51.

See also John Masefield, 'On the Spanish Main' (1906), chap, xii., 'The Sack of Panama.' The bulls are not forgotten in the pictures of the battle in the Dutch and English Exquemelin; that in the English version is reproduced in Mr. Masefield's book.

In a chapter on 'The Pirate's Paradise' in 'Excursions in Libraria,' by Mr. G. H. Powell ("quem honoris causa nomino"), the statement is made, in a foot-note on p. 142, that "Four hundred wild bulls had been tried on Drake at San Domingo (1585)." The authority given for this appears to be "Colliber, p. 72." I have not found the incident mentioned in Samuel Colliber's 'Critical History of English Sea Affairs,' nor in 'A summarie and true discourse of Sir Francis Drake's West Indian voyage, begun in the year 1585,' in Hakluyt's 'Voyages.' The landing near S. Domingo took place on New Year's Day, 1586.

JOHN WHITFIELD, ACTOB (12 S. i. 30). This actor made his first appearance Sept. 26, 1774, at Covent Garden Theatre, as Truman in ' George Barnwell,' and his wife (Mary) appeared there four nights later as Harriet in The Miser.' She died Dec. 19, 1795, and was buried at St. Paul's, Covent Garden.

Whitfield's cast of characters was mostly serious, and included Claudio, ' Much Ado about Nothing '; Pylades, ' Distrest Mother '; Garcia, ' Mourning Bride ' ; Dauphin, ' Henry V.' ; Altamont, ' Fair Penitent ' ; Orsino, ' Twelfth Night,'

About 1788 he went over to Drury Lane, where he continued several years.

WM. DOUGLAS.

125 Helix Road, Brixton Hill.

' The Thespian Dictionary,' 1802, has, respecting the above :

" He made his theatrical essay in the country, and, having acquired some reputation at Norwich, was engaged at Covent Garden, where he came out in Trueman (' George Barnwell ') about the year 1776.... Mr. Whitfteld's wife was formerly an actress at Covent Garden, and performed for several seasons at the summer theatre."

W. B. H.

REGIMENTAL NICKNAMES (12 S. i. 30). There is a book entitled ' Nicknames in the British Army,' but I have not a copy by me. From a glance through some lists I find that nicknames in the Army change with the times, but the following have been fairly common during the past five years :

Engineers.-^-Mudlarks.

Grenadier Guards. Grannies, Tow Rows. Scots Guards. Kiddies. Royal Scots. Pilate's Body Guard. East Kent. Nutcrackers, Resurrections. Royal Lancasters. The Lions. Warwicks. Saucy Sixth. Norfolks. Holy Boys. Lincolns. Springers. Devons. Bloody Eleventh. West Yorkshires. Calvert's Entire. Bedfords. Peacemakers. Leicesters. Bengal Tigers, Green Cats. Lancashire Fusiliers. Two Tens, Muideii Boys. Cheshires. The Two Twos. Welsh Fusiliers. Nanny Goats. Gloucesters. Slashers. Worcesters. Vein-Openers. West Ridings. Immortals, Havercake Lads. Sussex. Orange Lilies.

South Staff ordshires. Pump and Tortoise, Staffordshire Knots.