The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-09 00:00:00

THE TROOP-SHIP ON FIRE.

The monotony of the voyage was now for some time un-
broken by anything but the appearance of a solitary whale,
an event which was celebrated by the men with "three
cheers," given with as much good will as if they had cap-
tured a fortress. When within 200 miles of their destina-
tion, an event took place which very near brought the voy-
age to a tragical termination. One night about twelve
o'clock, the sentry near the hold summoned the sergeant
of the guard and informed him that there was a strong
smell of fire. The Adjutant and commanding officer were
immediately called, but by the time they arrived on the
spot flames had burst out and the whole ship was alarmed.
The bugle at once sounded for the men to repair to fire
quarters, and though at first there was a slight rush and
some little confusion, yet the Colonel's voice soon restored
order. The ship was immediately placed before the wind,
to prevent the flames from being driven aft in the direction
of the magazine. The pumps were rigged and brought to
bear on the fire, and an attempt was made to smother it
with wet blankets. The magazine was also drowned. In
spite of all the efforts of the men and officers the flames
could not bo subdued, and it became probable that if no
ship came to the rescue, the crew and passengers of the
Typhoon would soon have to choose between three al-
ternatives, namely, a watery grave, a fiery death, or the
chance of life in boats and on rafts on a tossing sea. In-
deed, we doubt whether the soldier's courage is ever ex-
posed to such a severe trial as in the case of a fire at sea.
Yet for all that, how seldom de they falter, how nobly do
they perform their duty !
Fire seems to exercise a refining and purifying influence
on them, to bring out their better qualities, and to cause
those of a grosser nature to evaporate. The wonderful
power of discipline was in this instance most wonderfully
exemplified. On the brink of eternity, with apparently
little to hope or fear from man, with the roaring of the
flames and the fury of the waves holding up to scorn the
weak power of their earthly masters, the soldiers of the
155th showed themselves as obedient to orders as if in the
barrack yard. Discipline had become with them so fixed
an instinct, that it was, so to speak, a second nature, cap-
able of resisting even the influence which the fear of
approaching death might have been supposed to exer-
cise over them. With some a sense of duty produced this
marvellous effect, with others a natural insensibility to dan-
ger, but with the majority it was the second instinct we
have alluded to which suddenly transformed them into
heroes. Oswald ,vas surprised to find how little time for
thought was left him by the necessity for exertion, the ex-
citement of facing the present dancer and of attaining
the absorbing aim of all, that of extinguishing the tire.
In the following extract the bravery, and, also,
let us add, the fickle nature of our hero, is made
manifest. The scene is now in the land of the
Kaffirs, and the chapter is entitled—

OSWALD SUPS FULL OF HORRORS.
We closed our last chapter just as Oswald was aroused
from sleep by the fearful sound of the
ho sprang from bed, and in an
Kaffir yell. Alert
his boots and trowsers, and hurried
ianssbtsencotmhseds
salipspoleddicorn,his
into the next room. Quick, however, as he had been, Cap-
tain Childers, fortunately an early riser, had already bar-
red the door, and with his double-barrelled gun shot down
the two foremost savages, who, after butchering the farm
servants in the out-buildings, were hurrying up to com-
plete their work at the house. On seeing their compa-
nions fall, they paused in their rush, which gave Oswald
time to fire his pistols with effect amongst them, and to
Mary Childers to close the shutters. Seeing the inmates
prepared, the wily savages had recourse to their usual mode
of fighting, and speedily got under cover, from whence they
kept up a smart fire of musketry and assegais on whatever
part of the wooden walls they considered thinnest.
The house consisted of four rooms, and the little garri-
sion were obliged to fire from each in succession, in order
to give the appearance of numbers, and to prevent the
enemy from approaching unobserved by some unwatched
point.

Fortunately there wore three guns besides Oswald's
double-barrelled pistols in the house, and these were fired
through loop-holes, which had been made for that purpose,
in the door and shutters. The old man looked sad but
determined. His first words to Oswald wore, " I'm afraid
it's all up with us, but we must make the best fight we can
and trust to God's mercy for deliverance. I felt certain
that some misfortune was going to happen, and my fore-
bodings were too true. I'm sure I shall never leave this
place alive, but if you escape, you will take care of Mary ;
won't you? She's engaged to a settler, about fifty miles
off from hero, it's true, but I distrust that man."
Oswald promised to obey his injunctions, and tried to
inspire him with a little of the hope he was very far from
feeling himself. As to the girl, notwithstanding their cri-
tical position, he could not help glancing at her with ad-
miration. Suddenly awoke from sleep, with nothing over
her night dress but a loose wrapper, her hair hanging in
massy wares about her shoulders, her little, white feet
thrust into a pair of slippers, her cheek flushed, and her
eyes gleaming with excitement, she reminded him of Me-
dora, "in all the wildness of dishevelled charms." At an-
other time, she would have blushed at being seen in such
a plight by any ono save her own father; but then she was
totally absorbed by the danger and the means of facing it.
Feminine as the daintiest damsel in Belgravia, she, like a
true woman, showed herself equal to the circumstances in
which she was placed, displaying an amount of courage
and presence of mind which would not have disgraced the
most gallant soldier who ever wielded sword. She was of
immense use to Oswald and her father.
As fast as they could fire she loaded for them, and when
not so occupied, ran from window to window to see what
the Kaffirs were about. Oswald, brave and sanguine by
temperament as he was, made up his mind that his last
hour was approaching, and only grimly determined to take
with him to the other world as many of the enemy as pos-
sible. He had little time for thought, yet he did think of
Ellen, and wondered whether she would hear of his death,
and would ever marry any one else. He blamed him-
self too as a traitor to love, for having even given
one look of admiration at the lovely girl—for pretty
at all times, she was positively lovely then—who was
so bravely aiding them. The yells, the sounds of
muskets, and the whistling of bullets, however, soon
drove away all thoughts of love, all powor of reflection.
He lived but in the moment, and in the fierce struggle in
which lie was engaged. An Englishman at bay becomes
very ferocious, and the taste of blood intoxicates him like
a draught of strong wine. Oswald positively exulted when
once or twice ho saw a Kaffir fall beneath his aim, and
could with difficulty restrain himself from terminating the
out and ending the tragedy
at once.
suspense by rushing
The young soldier on his first battle-
field feelingsitv
described before now, but we must
aebee ofn a
quote an evidently truthful description of the emo-
tions of Oswald Hastings