It was no great matter, however;
for I should not have distinguished it from any other tune; but, to do me
what honor was possible, in the way of national airs, the band was
ordered to play a series of negro melodies, and I was entirely satisfied.
It is really funny that the "wood-notes wild" of those poor black slaves
should have been played in a foreign laud as an honorable compliment to
one of their white countrymen.
After dinner we played whist, and then had some broiled bones for supper,
and finally went home to our respective huts not much earlier than four
o'clock. But I don't wonder these gentlemen sit up as long as they can
keep their eyes open; for never was there anything so utterly comfortless
as their camp-beds. They are really worse than the bed of honor, no
wider, no softer, no warmer, and affording not nearly so sound sleep.
Indeed, I got hardly any sleep at all, and almost as soon as I did close
my eyes, the bugles sounded, and the drums beat reveille, and from that
moment the camp was all astir; so I pretty soon uprose, and went to the
mess-room for my breakfast, feeling wonderfully fresh and well,
considering what my night had been.
Long before this, however, this whole regiment, and all the other
regiments, marched off to take part in a general review, and Bennoch and
I followed, as soon as we had eaten a few mutton-chops. It was a bright,
sunshiny day; but with a strong east-wind, as piercing and pitiless as
ever blew; and this wide, undulating plain of Aldershott seemed just the
place where the east-wind was at home.
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