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 had his headquarters at Ootacamund and only visited the Presidency town as occasion required. Sir Neville was the beau ideal of a soldier, with handsome features, of a fine figure well set up, and gracious of manner. The general officer who commanded the district at that time was small in stature. He possessed a charger that was over sixteen hands, a perfect animal with but one draw-back as far as his owner was concerned. It was impossible for the general to mount him without assistance. This was obtained from the syce, who leaned forward on all-fours until his back presented a suitable 'jossing-block.' The general stepped up and the man gently elevated him until the stirrup was reached.

The Commander-in-Chief had heard of the general's method of mounting, but had never witnessed it. One day on parade in Madras a spirit of mischief seized him and he dismounted. It is etiquette for the rest of the staff to dismount if the chief sets the example, and the general had no alternative but to follow suit. When the chief remounted, the staff had to regain their saddles also with as little delay as possible. The general was perplexed for the moment ; but his syce solved the difficulty without the least hesitation. Going down on all fours as usual, he presented the helpful human 'jossing-block,' which his master made use of, regardless of the smiles of his fellow officers.

Sir Neville Chamberlain distinguished himself in the Mutiny and was present at the taking of Delhi. Lord Roberts served under him and mentions his name frequently in his memoirs. He says there that Sir Neville was a great supporter of Colonel Richard Baird- Smith, who engineered the attack. Colonel Baird-Smith as a young man entered the Madras Engineers and arrived at Fort St. George in 1838. A year later he was sent to Bengal to assist Sir Proby Cautley in making the Doab Canal.