The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-01-22

board
Poor Private Jones collapsed in the bot
tom Of the boat, but ! was not much the
worse. only very cold As We came near
the vessel the Captain sung out ''Have
you got them both !? The answering
shout of Yes, all right, was hardly
given, when such cheer arose from over
500 men as | never expect To hear again;
and as we came up the side, our old Colonel
came forward and shook hands with me-
saying We'll and brnvely done sir; |
am proud of you As was making my
way below Charley gave me st,rh slap on
the back as nearly sent me Oh In, nose on
the deck, saying ,'SplendidIy done. old
fellow knew the man was saved when
You went over for him ! wnald have
come with you, but you know ain !, poor
swimmer, and should only have drowned
myself without saving the man Poor
Jones came to thank me next morning for
Il life saved. ! told him he NIGH; very
likely have Il chance Of doing the same for
me before We saw home again.
In due time we arrived at Malta, where
we were detained many weeks. While
most of our fellows were tretting (" get on
| confess | was quite contented to stay
where | was; quite enjoyed my visit to
the island. and all the strange scenes to be
witnessed there.
Troops were constantly pouring in, and
after time several French regiments joined
us, creating considerable interest and curl
osity among our men, for Tommy Atkins
was very anxious to stand treat on every
possible occasion to his new friends.
At last we were off again, and our des-
tination this time was Galipoli. This did
not alarm me much. as it was certain there
WAS no fighting to be done there; and we
seemed to be going so leisurely towards the
seat of war that began to be very much
of opinion that there would be no fighting
at all, and that we were only making de
monstration in force for political purposes.
| shall not dwell on our stay at Gallipoh.
We had not been there long before we were
ordered up to Scutari, still far from danger;
but after Il short stay there, we were Of
fered to embark for Varna This looked
really like getting near the seat Of war,
and my miserable weakness returned to
some extent, but had so much to do that
had not time to dwell on it.
Arrived ut Varna. we found everything
at first in the widest confusion, but after
time out of chaos came order. The Eng
lish troops were not quartered in the town,
but at several points farther inland. Here
for about three months we remained kick
ing our heels, doing absolutely no good to
our friends or harm to our enemies; but we
had not been there long before we had
more terrible foe to fight than the Russians.
The cholera broke out among us, at first
slightly, but very soon severel y; our field
hospitals filled to overfowing, and our poor
doctors worked day and night to save and
relieve the sufferers till they themselves
were ready to drop from sheer fatigue.
One evening our doctor, as good fellow
as ever stepped, came into my tent and
threw himself down in a cane chair in a
state of utter exhaustion; mixed a stiff
glass of grog and made him drink it, and
then got him to light his pipe and pull him
self together He told me it was heart
rending work, that they had not half
enough doctors, and nothing like enough
nurses, and that men were dying daily who,
in all probability, would have lived with a
little careful nursing, which alas could
not be given them. [ asked him if could
be of any help, for if so was quite willing
to come and do what could when off duty
The doctor thought for a minute, and then
said mo. 1t is my duty to risk my
life from contagion in the hospitals, yours
to risk your life from the bullets of the
enemy, if we ever get sight Of them. 1t
would not be fair to let you take the double
risk. When | insisted and told him had
no fear of contagion, he admitted that any
help was worth having just at that time.
Accordingly arranged to begin the next
day. For several weeks, till a sufficient
number of nurses arrived, attended regu-
larly when off duty, and, believe, was of
some little help to the overworked doctors
Our colonel came in one day to see some of
his men and cheer them up little, and
seemed pleased, | think, to see he there,
but he only said so see you go in for
saving life on land as we'll as at sea.
Oh, what a dreary time that was at
Varna. We came there a small army,
indeed but in perfect health, strength,
and discipline; when we left we had lost
about one tenth of our number, and many
hundreds of poor fellows had got the seeds
of disease in them which eventually Brought
them to an early grave.
1t might have been necessary from a
political point of view to keep the army in
reserve; but surely it should have been
placed in some healthy spot where it might
have retained its full strength.
CHAPTER IL.
Towards the end of August there was u
great increase in the number of vessels of
war and transport off Verna. 1t was evi-
dent that some move was shortly to be
made. and in the early days of September
we received orders to hold ourselves in
readiness to embark for the Crimea at an
hour notice.
We were now at last about to come face
to face with the enemy, and the result to
me was that all my dread of battle returned
in full force Why should [ 60 and get
killed while was in the full enjoyment OF
youth, health and strength ;yes, and wealth,
(for was we'll off to boot g? So argued
nv fears, while honor bade me go on and
do my duty Life a brave Englshman.
On the 9Th of September the French
began their embarkation. On the 18th we
were ordered on board ship, and soon after
we got under way, and left behind us
plague stricken Varna and all its honors.
| do not suppose there was man in all
that vast feet who ever wished to see Narna
again, or who was not glad to go. Even
| felt it relief.
We sailed and steamed to a certain
point in the Black Sea, and there anchored