cely a man who follows us has not
the same sentiment in his heart. The terrible scenes of the last
five weeks have driven our fellows to all but mutiny. Nothing indeed
maintained discipline but a kind of tigerish thirst for vengeance--a
hope that the day of reckoning would come round, and one fearful lesson
teach these same white-coats how dangerous it is to drive a brave enemy
to despair.'

De Barre continued to talk in this strain as we descended, every remark
he made being uttered with all the coolness of one who talked of a
matter indifferent to him. At length the way became too steep for much
converse, and slipping and scrambling we now only interchanged a chance
word as we went. Although two hundred and fifty men were around and
about us, not a voice was heard; and, except the occasional breaking of
a branch, or the occasional fall of some heavy stone into the valley,
not a sound was heard. At length a long, shrill whistle announced that
the first man had reached the bottom, which, to judge from the faintness
of the sound, appeared yet a considerable distance off. The excessive
darkness increased the difficulty of the way, and De Barre continued
to repeat--'that we had certainly been misinformed, and that even in
daylight the descent would take an hour.'

It was full half an hour after this when we came to a small rivulet, the
little boundary line between the two steep cliffs. Here our men were all
assembled, refreshing themselves with the water, still muddy from recent
rain, and endeavouring to arrange equipments and arms, damaged and
displaced by many a fall.

'We 've taken an hour and twenty-eight minutes,' said De Barre, as he
placed a firefly on the glass of his watch, to see the hour. 'Now, men,
let us make up for lost time. _En avant!_

'_En avant!_,' was quickly passed from mouth to mouth, and never was
a word more spirit-stirring to Frenchmen! With all the alacrity of men
fresh and 'eager for the fray,' they began the ascent, and such was the
emulous ardour to be first, that it assumed all the features of a race.

A close pine wood greatly aided us now, and, in less time than we
could believe it possible, we reached the plateau appointed for our
rendezvous. This being the last spot of meeting before our attack on the
fort, the final dispositions were here settled on, and the orders for
the assault arranged. With daylight, the view from this terrace, for
such it was in reality, would have been magnifi