evil of a blow."--"Och! never mind that, your honour," said
the sergeant, "it's all in the army." "No, sergeant," I replied, "it is
all on my head." A few seconds after this, the same sergeant received a
similar salute, which made him hug the ground, when a soldier who was
near him sang out, "Are you kilt, sergeant, dear?"--"Upon my
conscience," groaned the sergeant, "I don't know; but I feel mighty
queer, so I do."

I had not been on my legs again above a second, and had scarcely time to
scratch my head, when there was a dreadful explosion of powder. The
shock caused by this explosion nearly threw me down again. On looking
behind, I found it necessary to give some orders, and I pointed to the
object of my instructions. Some ill-natured fellow from the ramparts
thought I was pointing the finger of derision at him, so he let fly his
matchlock at me, and shot me through the very finger I was pointing
with--the forefinger of the left hand. The shot passed through the
finger, and, carrying away nearly the whole of the bone of the two first
joints, grazed the palm of my hand, and passed through the lapel of my
coat. At last the inner gate yielded to force, and we rushed into the
body of the fort. On our first entrance, we could see women and children
flying across the narrow streets; some mothers bearing their offspring
in their bleeding arms; some dropping them in their flight; and others
meeting death from the balls of our men, who were firing at random. Many
poor childless mothers threw themselves on the points of our men's
bayonets, and some begged for mercy. Putrid bodies, both of men and
beasts, lay about in all directions--some of them three or four deep;
and the smell was absolutely suffocating. The fighting soon ceased; and,
though many attempted to escape by another bridge, they were taken
prisoners.

The fort being now completely in our possession, as soon as the
prisoners had been secured, I examined my wound. An hour having elapsed
since I received it, my whole arm had begun to ache most dreadfully.
Finding, therefore, that I could do no further good to the service, I
was resolved I would do no harm to myself, so I bent my way towards
camp, to get my wound dressed. To be candid, I may as well confess that
I did not walk home, but rode one of the finest Persian horses I ever
beheld. I found him loose, running about the fort. I caught him, and
rode him with a piece of rope in his mouth. The good-natured
prize-ag