



Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England




Mayne Reid
A Memoir of his Life
By Elizabeth Reid
Published by Ward and Downey, 12 York Street, Convent Garden, London.
This edition dated 1890.

Mayne Reid, by Elizabeth Reid.

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MAYNE REID, BY ELIZABETH REID.



CHAPTER ONE.

EARLY LIFE.  EMIGRATION TO AMERICA.  EDGAR ALLAN POE.

To most of the world, Captain Mayne Reid is known only as a writer of
thrilling romances and works on natural history.  It will appear in
these pages that he was also distinguished as a man of action and a
soldier, and the record of his many gallant deeds should still further
endear him to the hearts of his readers.

He was born in the north of Ireland, in April, 1818, at Ballyroney,
county Down, the eldest son of the Reverend Thomas Mayne Reid,
Presbyterian minister, a man of great learning and ability.  His mother
was the daughter of the Reverend Samuel Rutherford, a descendant of the
"hot and hasty Rutherford" mentioned in Sir Walter Scott's "Marmion."

One of Mayne Reid's frequent expressions was: "I have all the talent of
the Reids and all the deviltry of the Rutherfords."  He certainly may be
said to have inherited at least the "hot and hasty temper" of his
mother's family, for his father, the Reverend Thomas Mayne Reid, was of
a most placid disposition, much beloved by his parishioners, and a
favourite alike with Catholics and Protestants.  It used to be said of
him by the peasantry, "Mr Reid is so polite he would bow to the ducks."
Several daughters had been born to them before the advent of their
first son.  He was christened Thomas Mayne, but in after life dropped
the Thomas, and was known only as Mayne Reid.  Other sons and daughters
followed, but Mayne was the only one destined to figure in the world's
history.

Young Mayne Reid early evinced a taste for war.  When a small boy he was
often found running barefooted along the road after a drum and fife
band, greatly to his mother's dismay.  She chided him, saying, "What
will the folks think to see Mr Reid's son going about like this?"  To
which young Mayne replied, "I don't care.  I'd rather be Mr Drum than
Mr Reid."

It was the ardent wish of both parents that their eldest son should
enter the Church; and, at the age of sixteen, Mayne Reid was sent to
college to prepare for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, but
after four years' study, it was found that his inclinations were
altogether opposed to this calling.  He carried off prizes in
mathematics, classics, and elocution; distinguished himself in all
athletic sports; anything but theology.  It is recorded, on one occasion
when called upon to make a prayer, he utterly failed, breaking down at
the first few sentences.  It was called by his fellow-students "Reid's
wee prayer."

Captain Mayne Reid has been heard to say, "My mother would rather have
had me settle down as a minister, on a stipend of one hundred a year,
than know me to be the most famous man in history."

The good mother could never understand her eldest son's ambition; but
she was happy in seeing her second son, John, succeed his father as
pastor of Closkilt, Drumgooland.

In the month of January, 1810, Mayne Reid first set foot in the new
world--landing at New Orleans.  We quote his own words: "Like other
striplings escaped from college, I was no longer happy at home.  The
yearning for travel was upon me, and without a sigh I beheld the hills
of my native land sink behind the black waves, not much caring whether I
should ever see them again."

Soon after landing, he thus expressed himself, showing how little store
he set upon his classical training as a stock-in-trade upon which to
begin the battle of life: "And one of my earliest surprises--one that
met me on the very threshold of my Transatlantic existence--was the
discovery of my own utter uselessness.  I could point to my desk and
say, `There lie the proofs of my erudition; the highest prizes of my
college class.'  But of what use are they?  The dry theories I had been
taught had no application to the purposes of real life.  My logic was
the prattle of the parrot.  My classic lore lay upon my mind like
lumber; and I was altogether about as well prepared to struggle with
life--to benefit either my fellow-men or myself--as if I had graduated
in Chinese mnemonics.  And, oh! ye pale professors, who drilled me in
syntax and scansion, ye would deem me ungrateful indeed were I to give
utterance to the contempt and indignation which I then felt for ye;
then, when I looked back upon ten years of wasted existence spent under
your tutelage; then, when, after believing myself an educated man, the
illusion vanished, and I awoke to the knowledge that I knew nothing."

We shall not here follow Mayne Reid through the ever varying scenes of
this period--his life in Louisiana, encounters on the prairies with
buffaloes, grizzly bears, and Indians on the war-path with their
trophies of scalps; his excursions with trappers and Indians up the Red
River, the Missouri, and Platte--for all of these are embodied in his
writings, which contain more reality than romance.

Mayne Reid tried his hand at various occupations, both in the civilised
and uncivilised life of the new world.

For a brief space he was "storekeeper" and "<DW65>