On the walls captured banners, swords and daggers, guns and
pistols, share the honours with portraits of old commanders and of the
mighty dead with their swords beneath them. Over the anteroom
mantelpiece is a very gracious picture of Queen Victoria, presented by
her Majesty in 1876; and this is flanked by pictures of King Edward the
Seventh, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the corps, and Queen Alexandra, both
presented by their Majesties when they were Prince and Princess of
Wales. Over the mantelpiece in the dining-room is an excellent oil
painting of Sir Harry Lumsden, who raised the corps.
One of the most interesting relics is one leaf of a mahogany table,
captured at the siege of Delhi and used in camp on the Ridge; the other
two leaves were taken by the 60th Rifles and the 2nd Gurkhas, who lay
alongside the Guides at Hindu Rao's house. On the leaves are roughly
carved symbolic crests and mottoes for the three regiments: A Maltese
Cross and _Celer et Audax_ for the 60th Rifles; crossed swords and
_Stout and Steady_ for the Gurkhas; and crossed Afghan knives with
_Rough and Ready_ for the Guides. On this latter leaf may be seen
standing a cigar-lighter made out of grapeshot picked up in camp during
the siege.
High up on the walls all round are endless trophies of the chase,
probably the finest collection in Asia--Ovis poli, Ovis Ammon, Ibex,
markhor, bara sing, and bison; besides specimens from other continents
whither officers have gone in pursuit of sport or war.
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