New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-22
CRAVE AND GAY CAMP LIFE
INCIDENTS IN MANY CLIMATES.
SOME EXPERIENCES THAT BRITISH oFflCEh9
HAVE MET-THE WEST INDIAN NEGRO
AS A SENTRY

ayes. there arc many strange experiences IN army
life said an English Officer and perhaps WISHING
sentres brings back as strange rccolcctons DoIh N'
and comical. anything else. hho" no Sa''o'
thing. while on active service than hhdlhS d man
asleep on his post It means field general court
martial and death. II seems terrible but rcie'hoc'
tho man is one of the many eyes of army ana on
him depend the safety and the lives OF his comrades
During peace service the man Is tred by dlSro' '"
martial and he gets least SIX months imprisonment
with hard labor SontcS in our service 90 OF ped' io'
two bonrs and are Off for In cold weather they on
do one hour but that hour is hard enough IN really
cold weather. such as we ii'u Ill 'i'0 '"''P' ~
outside Cabu in 1S79'S0
However most Of my ecollections are humorous.
remember ar Irishman; he was a recruit ana
think il was his first day on guard duty one ID
the orders of the post In of fire. discharge
your rife alarm the guard and inform the nearest
nolceman, On being questioned to his duties ne
aid in a brocue that would have broken a tcacup
In case of fire. aar-rrum the guard and SHOOT tle
nearest policeman and thecc IS little DOUBT nc "ou"
have done it.
Of the Rifle Brigade 1t was in the Ashantee war
During the night we heard shot. The giarn ana
pckets got to arms and l went out with an escort
TO find ont what was up. We came on the sentry he
pale. but at his post.
"'Whats the matter asked
"I don't know, sir. but the niGScrs is somewhere
I'll swear to- from the awful cries | heard
All was STILL but soon low moan began close
10 us gradually increasing to an ear piercing shrek
II was the wierdcst cry ever heard, and mSscI
felt FAR from comfortable. We peercd into tie dark
ness and AZ last with help of the lantern discovered
a blinking cmur on a sillvcOtton tree wltmh a Ic"
wards Of Us. Our enemy harmless"
Admiral De Horsey tells good tale against him
self and the writer knows il is true Nearly twenty
years ago the Admiral commodore at Port Royal
Jamaica The sentry duty there is done by one OF the
West India regiments. which are entirely recruited
from NEGROES, These men make capital soldiers and
obey their orders 10 the Letter. The Commodore
thought one day that he would walk 70 the point %
the spit Of land on which Port Royal hold, pre-
,arious anchorage, more than half the town having
| dropped into the sea during earthquake, Two
centuries ago lie passed through the barracks and
| reached the point. Then there came over him "a
wish to explore that peninsula Of the British
Empire \ large brick building attracted his aten
ton. II really the powder magazine. ~ the
Commodore approached dusky sentry challenged.
who go dcre77 demanded the sentry.
Friend answered the naval officer
"You earn pass hyar,7 continued the sentry, bring
ing his rifle down to the charge
what do you mean ~ asked the angry sailor.
You earn pass hyar, OATS what mean
d" DO You know who / am ~ demanded the Commo-
dore. now fairly bursting with anger.
81 70 sabbev who yOu are replied the African.
do yca know. sir, that | Commodore De
Iorscy ~ murdered ont the naval officer. convinced
that the information would leave open the road to him.
81 no cue whether you Commodore I'c la.scy or
Commodore DC Darnkey, you don pass dis post and
Another incident amusing 10 all except one man.
! happened few years ago at Nassau Bahamas. The
sentry on Tie COmmssaIiat wharf had allow
no one to land there: The Attorney General Of the
colony. pomDous little priG. ont sailing one
afternoon, and thought he would land on the wharf.
He wa, warned by the sentry 20 do 50. but did.
lie soon found himself uncomiortahll rear De point
with the aid of that persuasive weapon obi ed him 70
back into the sentrv-bOX. lie was informed that H.
the box. shortly acrward II began to rain The
sentry halted il front Of the box and Informed hi
| prisoner that he had no intention Of spelling H.
| uniform or wsting his arms and Announcements. lie
unhxed his bayonet, and; putting round Of ammun
| out in the ram, and took his shelter.
| Look hyar. buccra.' remarked the sable African
az YOU try + escape, put tia bullet right tro YOU
The Attorney General did not move. Tie muzzIe Of
thankful than he when the relief came and he was
handed over to The sergeant Of he guard.
being especially afraid Of ~duppics.8 or ghosts 4
Young officer. fresh from England. thought it would
himself with sheet and uGdcnly came into The view
OF the sentry, who the callow youth thought. would
Who go dcre ?" yelled the frightened man. halting
"Duppy" answered the shceted IDIOT
| Den, duppv. take dat :" said the man, firing.
Duppy did take IT. and he was sick man for some
weeks.
watchfn The .cntret, # course. were double ont
even then sometimes the Arabs would crawl up .ant
kill the men. afternoon in visiting the sentrie:
the men at one post were evidently uneasy.
dsnkin bnt /; do seem that that camel bush do move
y The bush about 100 Yards or. We pretended
kept KEEP Sharp lookout ii aid move nnqnesonably
Two Of the ordered to fire. and down dropped
the bush. \ further investigation revealed Il dedC
Arab Poor fellow he had died without killing ;
Giaour ard his weary spirit wanders about the drearj