except one, who was an Irishman, and a rabid
"Fenian." I used to try to convince this man
that Fenianism wonld collapse shortly, but he
argued stoutly that he would live to see the day
when the Fenians would bombard London, and
be a free and independent people, with The
O'Donoghue as their president. The doctor
discharged me after being a fortnight in the hospital,
and I was taken, when I went out, to the guard-
room, " for having, contrary to orders, a pipe in
my possession." The guard-room is a small
dungeon-like place, with a board for a bed, and
into this I was shoved by the non-commissioned
officer on guard there. Four persons were
there when I got in: three for drunkenness,
and the fourth for desertion, and all were singing
quite merrily. I had not been here above
an hour before I was fetched out by the colour-
sergeant of our company, who took me before
Captain Moucher. I was conducted into his
presence by two sentinels with fixed bayonets.
The captain was seated enjoying a pipe, while a
companion of his was warming his back before
the fire. The captain read the charge, and the
colour-sergeant told him I was quite new, and
therefore did not understand orders, on which
he discharged me. He said, " I shall discharge
you, and give an admonishment." But I heard
no " admonishment" beyond the words I have
written. On coming out, the sentinels were
ordered to fix bayonets, and I was free.

That night I was put into another room,
exactly similar to the other in appearance, and
the next day I performed " orderly man."
"Orderly man" has to see that all provisions
are on the table. He also washes all dishes,
and keeps the room in order. If an officer
coming round finds the room dirty, the orderly
man is the person who is accounted warrantable.
The soldiers in this room were very good, and
showed me how to do it. An acting corporal was
in charge, a taciturn sort of man, who never opens
his lips except when absolutely required to do so.
A warm-hearted Welshman, named Evans, has
been the man whom I have always looked to
for helping me out of my little failings, and well
he has done it, too. Another man, named Jones
(a Welshman also), occupies a bed. He is a
pioneer, and one day refused to obey the acting
corporal's commands that he should assist to
sweep the room. He was forthwith " lagged,"
i.e. taken to the guard-room, and the next
morning, on being brought before the colonel,
was sentenced to two days' cells. The garrison
cells are situated near the gymnasium, and the
prisoners do shot-drill, stone-breaking, and
other work of a like nature. The greatest
punishment, however, is having all their hair cut
off short. Every prisoner, no matter how short
his incarceration, has all his hair clipped as
short as possible. This is decidedly the greatest
punishment they could inflict upon any one, and
much too severe. I have heard of many a one
who has got this punishment for slight
disobedience desert from the army because they
were ashamed to show themselves before their
comrades. This man I am writing of takes
the " clipping" so much to heart, that I am
sure he only wants the opportunity to make
himself " scarce." There is a great amount of
power put into each non-commissioned officer's
hands, and if he has any grudge against a man
he uses it unsparingly. At the same time,
obedience must be observed.

The next morning I got into another squad,
instructed by an Irishman, who spoke so that
we could only understand him by dint of great
perseverance. He put us through most of the
exercises that the former instructor did, and as
I was a little advanced, put me into the front
rank (right-hand man). The words he used
were mostly " Now, thin." To one of our
company he was unusually severe. " Now, thin,
Thompson, will ye's stand straight, and not
double yourself up like a lobster? It's as
easy to stand straight as cruk'd like that.
Attentoon! Now, Rowe, don't gape about so;
do you wish to swallow that officer going by?
Look to your front man. When ye's get into
duty, see if ye'll be looking about then—ye'll get
drill till further orders." I stayed with this
instructor for several days, and in the interim
had a " parade." All the soldiers assembled at
ten o'clock and " fell in." The officer commanding
each company examined attentively each
soldier's arms and accoutrements, and, having
done this, said, "Take close order. March!"
And then we were wheeled right and left,
and about, and marched in slow and quick time
round the square, the colonel the while " taking
stock." The company I was in (mostly
composed of recruits) I thought marched badly,
the colour-sergeant shouting, " Now, then,
corporal, keep that man in the ranks. Dash it,
Brown, why don't you keep quiet? Shove that
stomach in. Get into step, will you, Smith?
Now, quick time—left, right, left, right. Take
your time from the big drum. Every time that
big drum goes ' bum,' ' bum,' ' bum,' you each
put out the left foot." We tried to obey, but
it was of no use, and the colonel in a short
time dismissed us, evidently disgusted with our
efforts to " do" slow time. Drill at nine, drill
at eleven, and gymnasium at two o'clock every
day but Sunday. There are several swings
about the gymnasium, on which the recruits
amuse themselves until the orders go for falling
in. The drill instructors are always there and
call out the names, upon which the " name"
says here.

The gymnasium contains ropes, ladders,
gloves, dumb bells, bars, and everything requisite
for strengthening the muscles. We take
off our coats and braces, and put on belts. I
was first sent to the dumb bells, and did this
practice for several days at intervals. One
sergeant and two corporals have charge and
instruct. These are all very nice men, especially
the sergeant. To one who has not been used
to such work, it must be painful. My hands
are not better now from the blisters going along
that ladder made. Then, climbing up poles and
ropes, both difficult, and making oneself into a
jumper at a circus, putting every limb into