Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-07-13
Brought to Bay.

Perhaps you may laugh, but neverthe-
less, it is perfectly true; and this ia how
it happened.
AS you may be quits sure, being only
nineteen, L was most tremendously an
xious to get my commission, and when at
| last was gazetted to the Two Hundred
and Fourth British Foot, did not give
my tailor much rest till my uniform and
the paraphernalia of my outfit were sent
home.
l kept my things just as they were, and
in the hot stage of scarlet fever in which
then was, the fact of my regiment being
ordered out to China did not give me
much uneasiness.
l will not trouble you with the account
! of our long journey out, nnd our landing
in the Celestial Empire. Let it suffice
when tell you that upon our arrival it
was TO find hostilities in full progress,
and, boy, as I was, had to take my turn
with the rest, smelt powder, heard the
whiz of the bullets, and saw my smart
uniform soiled with mud and filth
1t was hot work in both senses of the
word. Now we were wading in river
bed or creek, with the blazing sun above
US, and the rank, steamy heat rising from
| LUe sliIney uO" We "SIS IL III
| fort, or chasing the enemy over the
swampy rice-felds, or through cane
brakes while the next day, perhaps, we
were accompanying some looting expe-
dition.
At last, after making pretty good pro-
gress up the country, we stOrmed town,
which I will call here LingPo. 1t had been
a pretty tough job, for the mud walls bad
been held by strong party of Braves
| However, at last, the day was Ours-the
Braves were supposed to be driven ont,
and we had taken possession, the men dis
tributing themselves pretty we'll over the
place, and | was with half dozen cf the
| bandsmen, who were on their way TO the
place chosen for headquarters, there to de-
post their instruments previous to going
upon ambulance duty-the helping of the
wounded being, as perhaps You are aware,
the duty of the bandsmen in the time OF
war.
We were rather indiffereutly armed
the bandsmen having only those short
Remembering swords-very blunt ones
too-and though l had my sword and re-
volyer, I had received a nasty thrust
through the right arm from the spear of a
Brave hurt which necessitated the
wounded limb being carried in a sling
| and made me feel more sick and fsiut then
I cared to own amongst men who would
have looked upon my injury as u mere
scratch.
The town was evidently large, dense.
ly populated place, full of crooked lanes.
streets and blind alleys, amongst which
we kept wandering for quite an hour be-
fore we were compelled to own that we
had lost cur way.
IF yell be kind enough to take the lade,
Mr.. Grey, we'll folly ye,' said one of the
bandsmen, turning suddenly round npon
me and scratching his puzzled pate.
| I'm ready enough to lead, Dennis I
said. but Tn about done up for want of
little water. was thinking of asking
you to carry me-
I'm thinking, sor, that we may just as
we'll sit down in the shade and wait, for
the headquarters is jist az likely to come
to us az we are to get to it. A big place
like this VIC uld puzzle map-maker.'
Il thought I'd tell you, sir, that there's a
couple of Chinese been following us for
the last five minutes said another of the
men. 'and faint as if we had rifles
! I looked uneasily back, down the long,
narrow, sun.glared street, but, tbore was
not soul visible. All was as still as
death, save for distant shot or two,
which seemed to come from quite another
part of the town, and to indicate that the
fighting was not entirely at an eud. The
houses on either hand were closely shut
tered, and presented the blankest of as
pects, and though we scanned the win
dows above, not watching face was visi-
BILE.
could not help owning that, should
we be attacked by some detached body of
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 wilder
ness become more and more evident at
each stride we took.
It's my belafe. sor, that Corporal Smiths
lading us intirely wrong said the Irish
man, speaking again.
Lead yourself, then 7 said the corporal,
grufly, as he tucked his large ophicleide
beneath his arm, and paused to wipe the
Precipitation from his forehead.
Il tell you what, SIR said another man
four best cornet.plsyer), we had better
make dash for It; don't like the look
of this at all. Will you order retreat !?
why, what's wrong? said l, testify,
for all the time there was dizzy sensa-
ton In my head. and the street looked
misty before my eyes.