ng less than a desperate effort
to drive us down the ghaut again; for the prevention of which every
possible preparation was promptly made. We were cold, hungry, and
barefooted. There had been an order that every man should bring three
days' provisions; but, by some mistake, this order had been neglected to
be properly communicated, for it ought to have been verbally published
on the morning of the day we marched. The expectation of something to do
in the night made us forget the cold and hunger. An additional outlying
and advanced piquet was ordered, and I was the next for duty. This
piquet was thrown out about two hundred yards in front of the others--a
subaltern's piquet. The first line of piquets threw out a chain of
double sentinels, the extremities of which formed a link with those
thrown out from the hill above, forming one-eighth of a circle round the
general body. Mine was rather a piquet for reconnoitring, and, in case
of alarm, to join the first piquet behind me. It was now about twenty
hours since we had had anything to eat. I was therefore hungry, and,
consequently, in good watching order, for an Englishman is always
irritable and peevish when his belly is empty. Repose was quite out of
the question, for bedding we had none, except the earth. I could not
sleep myself, and I took care that my little piquet did not slumber on
their posts. Of water there was plenty, for a most lovely crystal brook
murmured close by; but we were quite cold enough without that. It grew
dark and lonely, fires being forbidden to those on piquet, while those
on the hill had enormous ones. Speaking beyond a whisper was also
forbidden. Thus posted, we fully expected to be attacked; for the enemy
was famous for night-work. I visited my sentinels every quarter of an
hour. I could always find them by their teeth chattering. I had
forbidden them from challenging me, as I gave them to understand I
should always whistle when I was going round, and thus the enemy would
stumble upon my little piquet, and we could, if overpowered, retreat to
a stronger. Thus things went on till the moon rose in all her eastern
splendour, which enlivened the scene considerably; for when she was
thoroughly roused from her slumbers, we could see a great distance. All
was hushed as the tomb, save the crackling faggot, and the distant
roaring of beasts of prey. All of a sudden, two of my sentinels bellowed
out so that the echo resounded again, "Who comes there? Who