l
appearance on the streets and public thoroughfares of the city. It was
commanded by General Sir George Brown.

We said good-bye to Colonel Franklin, and Major McKinstry was gazetted
lieutenant-colonel and to command the battalion. The colonel was well
liked by all ranks. He was with the 1st Battalion during the Crimean
war, and was an officer who studied the individual soldier and attended
to his welfare. He had a keen memory. We had a transfer from the 1st
Battalion who had also been in the Crimea. He was brought up for being
drunk. I do not know whether the colonel intended to bring his previous
conduct against him, but in his admonition and advice reminded him that
one night in the trenches before Sebastopol he was drunk.

Next we marched to the Curragh camp to be quartered there during the
balance of the drill season. The distance is about 25 miles. We left
Richmond barracks about 9 a.m. It was a very hard hot day's work that
we had before us. We carried a lunch in our haversacks, and when we got
into the country we received humorous and good-natured replies to
questions we asked those we met. For instance, I was in charge of a
section of the advance guard, and I asked a native how far we were from
Naas. He answered: "Three miles and a wee bit, sur." We would about
cover that distance and ask another native, receiving the same answer.
So we trudged on looking anxiously for church spires and chimney tops.
At last we saw the long-looked-for halting place, and Naas with all the
Irish beauties it contained was near. The band, that had been silent a
considerable distance, struck up "Garry own to glory."

After supper the men cleaned up, went into the village, and were most
cordially greeted, especially by the fair sex, who indeed were Irish
beauties. We marched out of the village amidst cheering and the playing
of Irish airs by the band. In two hours the camp was in sight, and when
about a mile from it we were met by two bands, belonging to 11th and
86th regiments, with whom we were to brigade, and also an invitation
from the sergeants of the 11th regiment to lunch at their mess after
our immediate duties had been performed. We took up our quarters in "F"
square and were again in huts, but everything for the comfort of the
regiment was at hand. The commanding officer was pleased to appoint me
battalion drill instructor, and about this time Ensign Mogg Rolph, a
Canadian, was gazetted and posted to the regiment, and I