Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1871-12-25
BROUGHT TO BAY.

Itfndp9 1uu may ihuBht bNst tAAS-~~@t |
it is perfectly true; and this is how IL happen
ed.
As you may be quite sure, being only nine
teen. was most tremendously anxious to get |
my commission, and when at last was gazet'
ted TO the Two Hundred and Fourth British
Foot, did not give my tailor much rest till
my uniform and the paraphernalia of my out
ft were sent home.
kept my things just as they were, and in
the hot stage of scarlet fever in which | then
was, the TACT Of my regiment being order
ed out to China did not give me much uneas-
iness.
| will not trouble you with the account of
our long Journey out and our landing in the
Celestial Empire. Let il suffice when | tell
you that upon our arrival it was to find hostil-
tiles in full progress, and, boy as / was, had
to take my turn with the rest smelt powder,
heard the whiz of bullets, and saw my smart
uniform soiled with mud and filth.
II was hot work in both senses of the work.
Now we were wading in a river-bed or creek,
with the blazing sun above us, and the rank,
steamy heat rising from the slime; now we
were stormng mud fort OF chasing the enc
my over the swampy rice-lelds or through
cane brakes; while the next day, perhaps, we
were accompanying some shooting expipition.
At last, after making pretty good progress
up the country, we stormed town, which
will call here Ling-Po It had been pretty
lOuBn JOut loi hhuu Mdito hot hNVh hSAN ~
strong party of Braves. However, at last,
the day was ours-the Braves were supposed
10 be driven out, and We had taken possession,
the men distributing themselves pretty well
over the place, and was along with half
dozen of the bandsmen, who were On their
way to the.place chosen for headquarters, there
to debost their instruments previous to gong
upon ambulance duty-the helping of the
wounded being, as perhaps you are aware, the
dutv Of the bandsmen in time OF war
We were rather indifferently armed, the
bandsmen having only those short, Roman
looking swords-very blunt ones, too and
though had my sword and revolver, | had
received hasty thrust through the right arm
from the spear of II brave-a hut which ne.
cessitted the wounded limb baing carried in a
sling and made me feel more sick and faint
than cared TO own amongst men who would
have looked upon my injury as mere
scratch
The town was evidently large. densely
populated place, full of crooked lanes, streets.
and blind alleys amongst which we kept
wandering for quite an hour before they
were com eled to own that We had lost our
way.
"lf ven be kind enough to take the lade,
Mr.. Gaey, wen folly ye," said one of the band
men, turning suddenly around upon me and
scratching his puzzled pate.
''l'm ready enough to lead, Dennis, " said;
III, f..-rri 20 -
water. was thinking OfaslSing you to carry
me "
"Im thinking sor, that we may Just as
we'll sit down in the shade and wait, for the
hadauarters is iist as likely to some to uz as
we are 70 get it A big Place like this would
PUZZLE a map maker"
"I though I'd tell you. sir, that there'i a
couple ofChinese been following us for the last
five minutes" said another Of the men, land
'tain't as If we had rifles"
looked uneasily back, down the leng, mar.
now, sun-gared street. but there was not a
soul visible. All was as still as death, saw {
for distant shot or two, which seemed tc
come from quite another part of that road, and
10 indica e that the fighting was not entirely at
an end The houses on either hand were
closely shuttered; and presented the blankest
Of aspects, and though we scanned, the win
dows above not a watching place was visible
could not help owning that, should We b'
attacked by some detached body the Braves
our chances would be very small and should
have blamed myself for want of care, had not
the difficulty of finding ones way through
such wilderness becomes more and more ev
ident at each stride we took.
ITS my belafe, sor, that Cor pOIal Smith
leading us intirely wrong" said the lrlshma
speaking again.
0Iead Yourself them" said the corporal
qrufiy as he tucked his large ophiceide be
meath his ann, and paused to wipe the perspl
ration from his forehead.
81 tell Won what, sir" said another ma
(our best cornet-payer), I've had bette
make dash for it, don't like the look
this al ALL VIII you order aretreatf'
WWhy, what's wrongf" said !, testify, fC
all the time there was dizzy sensatiod in m
head. and the street looked misty before m
eyes.
awe ore being lodged, sir, and no mistake
and If we take refuge in one of these house
we shall, perhcps. only be burned out"
1'rying to rouse myself, hurriedly took
,lance nj our position. We were evidently j
one of the lower parts of the town; and Il
street wherein we were was one OF the narro'
est had seen since in the country Ever
here and there alleys rah off at right angle
INIT each apparently ended in a euI de sac, al
to enter one of them might have been like rui
ming into a gin, from which there was no meal
of exlrlcating ourselves. To make matte
worse, too, there was, at one end OF the stree
the CLINT Of arms; and moment after, iour
five Braves showed themselves for momen
and then disappeared.
Fortunately. the peril that them threaten
our little party seemed TO clear my head fro
the misty sensation; and tried to devise sol
plan for Immediate execution.
nThey will come upon us suddenly from o
of the narrow street, if they mean to alta
us.n thought, and, giving the signal to l
men, turned off sharply to the right, and
walked rapidly in new direction, in the ho
that il might bring us to where some of c
own men were collected.
Then we we're in danger l felt sure.
men know il, too; but all the same, in a lig
hearted, reckless fashion, could hear I'll
ioking together.
~ tell YOU what, said one, "the bands
good as broken mp, we don't get back. W
do you say Dennisf"
TSpoiled entirely was the reply; and, be-
Pam glad haven't got to blow now. for l
no more wind left than would put out one
Wildly Flannaghan's dips, and they "
twenty.four to the poundl How are you,
porali'
TBlonni" was the gruf reply.
Then we want on in silence for little
tance. but only to stop short as we turne
corner for there was a bust of yels in the
tance. and a clangor of gong, and we beci
aware Of the fact that about thirty Braves "
in close pursuit oil couple of our men,
we're evidently hard pressed.
"Come onl" shouted, with my blood Sc
ing to boir; but long before We could re
the spot. we saw the two poor fellows o,
taken, and fall pierced with score of 81
wounds.
Come back sir quick come backl" excl
ed voice, and the sword-armed hand of
stout ophicleide- player was laid upon my
''It's like rushing on death, and
auickl down herel" lie shouted hurrie
''those fellows who have been lodging u: