underdoing the meat, while others said they
would like to put the baker into a hot place. I
got quite at home during the afternoon, and as
I was thinly clad, the acting corporal lent me a
pair of trousers and boots.

At four o'clock the tea horn goes, and each
man has doled out to him half a pound of
bread and one pint of tea—none of your Gray's
Inn-road tea here, I can assure you, but really
good tea. I must object to the tea coming so
close after the dinner; you feel to have no
appetite for it. This is the last meal, and you
have to remain now until the next morning at
eight o'clock, just sixteen hours; however, there
is generally a little " rooté" (bread) left, and
you can have what the soldiers call a "snack"
just before going to bed. After tea, a young
man, seeing me standing about, inquired with
great kindness if I would like to " see about" a
little, at the same time saying he knew what it
was when he came down a recruit. I gladly
assented, and we went first to the reading-room.
The reading-room is a large room with a good
fire, and well lighted; it is supplied with some
of the daily and local newspapers—the papers
treating on military affairs, the Illustrated
London News and Illustrated Times, Punch,
&c., besides the British Workman, and one or
two of that class; no " monthlies," except some
old numbers of Temple Bar, Cornhill, and the
National Magazine, are taken. Altogether, it
is a very nice room, and well frequented, and
the payment required for this and the library is
only twopence-halfpenny per month. The
soldiers smoke and talk in it, and none of the
prohibitions seen in other reading-rooms are adopted
here. The library contains a goodly number of
books, mostly relating to military affairs, and is
open every day. It is very strange that no
catalogue should have been compiled of the
books; every one runs about, creating endless
confusion, and selects which book he wants
from the shelves and takes it to the sergeant in
charge, who notes the title in a book used for
that purpose. The " game-room" close by
contains three bagatelle-tables, several sets of
dominoes, and draughts. Many appear to enjoy
themselves here, particularly the little buglers.
After having seen all these I went back, and
Slatie was preparing to escort a young recruit,
who had that day received his bounty, into the
town. Slatie had cleaned his belts also, and of
course the recruit was expected to " stand." I
must confess that Slatie came in rather " tight,"
and bullied us all, and commanded right and
left. A man in his position has unlimited power;
that one stripe on his arm gives him perfect
authority, and, if his word be not implicitly
obeyed, he can have you taken to the guard-
room, and probably you will get punished
heavily. " The first duty of a soldier is
obedience," and this is enforced every day, and
every soldier will admit, that were the
commands of your superior officers disobeyed, and
were discipline in the army to relax, it would,
in their own words, "go to the devil."

The Sunday passed tamely enough, as I could
not go out, and was all day long moping about
the barrack-room. The " roust," as they call
it, goes at half-past six o'clock in the morning,
when all are to get out of bed; the room is then
swept, the fire lighted, and the forms and tables
well scrubbed. At eight, breakfast (same as tea).
During breakfast the orderly officer of the day
comes round; " attention" is given by him who
accompanies him, and he just walks by without
stopping, and says, " Any complaints?" The
orderly man of the day says, " No complaints,
sir." I have never heard any complaints made
to an officer about anything, and I really don't
see how they could be; he walks too quickly
past. One day, a soldier happened to look at
the orderly officer when he said, " Any
complaints?" The officer said, very severely, "Look
to your front, sir!" Very exact that. On the
Monday morning I had to go before the doctor
of the depôt for his examination at nine o'clock.
A corporal took four, besides me, to the
hospital, and, after waiting a long time, we were
ushered in to the doctor, a fat, pleasant-looking
gentleman, with a marked lisp when he spoke.
He attentively examined us all, telling one of
our company that he moved like a crab, and
affixed his signature to the number. The next
morning we went before the colonel commanding
the garrison. We stood in the orderly-room
amid a crowd of non-commissioned officers, who
appeared to have nothing better to do than to
salute the officers right and left, who were
constantly coming in and going out. The sergeant-
major was very conspicuous, giving the word of
command to several luckless defaulters who
were going before the colonel to receive their
share of punishment. " To the right face!"
"Quick march!" " Take off yer hat!" were
constantly the words in the sergeant-major's
mouth as he ushered each of the defaulters into
the room. The adjutant, a most gentlemanly
man, flitted about here and there, giving directions,
and Sergeant Brownlow I quickly saw
standing smiling at everything, and looking as
if he would like to sing. In a short time after
the business on hand had been disposed of, the
colonel came into the room, and, addressing
Sergeant Brownlow, wanted to know what
business he had there. The said sergeant explained
that he came to measure the recruits, and said
he understood it well, as, added the sergeant,
with respectful pride, " I've been on the recruiting
service;" so the colonel allowed him to
proceed. After being measured, the colonel signed
his name, and after going before two doctors,
two colonels, and one adjutant, we were
pronounced fit for her Majesty's service. The
colonel is a strict disciplinarian, but a nice-looking
man; he has served with distinction in the
Crimea, and got wounded there; he is a Scotchman,
and will not tolerate lax movements in the
service. That morning I got my clothes, but
they needed some slight alterations; they were
ready for putting on in the evening, however. I
don't think I should have got them so soon,
only I bribed the tailor who altered them with
a pot of beer, which I just remember I never