egobbleschroy.

"Mrs. Major Macan and the four Misses Macan.

"The Honorable Mrs. Burgoo, Mrs. Flix, Hicks, Wicks, and many more too
numerous to mention. The flower of our camp was, however, collected
there, and the last words of Lord Lake to me, as I left him, were,
'Gahagan, I commit those women to your charge. Guard them with your
life, watch over them with your honor, defend them with the matchless
power of your indomitable arm.'

"Futtyghur is, as I have said, a European station, and the pretty air of
the bungalows, amid the clustering topes of mango-trees, has often ere
this excited the admiration of the tourist and sketcher. On the brow of
a hill--the Burrumpooter river rolls majestically at its base; and no
spot, in a word, can be conceived more exquisitely arranged, both by art
and nature, as a favorite residence of the British fair. Mrs. Bulcher,
Mrs. Vandegobbleschroy, and the other married ladies above mentioned,
had each of them delightful bungalows and gardens in the place, and
between one cottage and another my time passed as delightfully as can
the hours of any man who is away from his darling occupation of war.

"I was the commandant of the fort. It is a little insignificant pettah,
defended simply by a couple of gabions, a very ordinary counterscarp,
and a bomb-proof embrasure. On the top of this my flag was planted, and
the small garrison of forty men only were comfortably barracked off in
the case-mates within. A surgeon and two chaplains (there were besides
three reverend gentlemen of amateur missions, who lived in the town,)
completed, as I may say, the garrison of our little fortalice, which I
was left to defend and to command.

"On the night of the first of November, in the year 1804, I had invited
Mrs. Major-General Bulcher and her daughters, Mrs. Vandegobbleschroy,
and, indeed, all the ladies in the cantonment, to a little festival in
honor of the recovery of my health, of the commencement of the shooting
season, and indeed as a farewell visit, for it was my intention to take
dawk the very next morning and return to my regiment. The three amateur
missionaries whom I have mentioned, and some ladies in the cantonment of
very rigid religious principles, refused to appear at my little party.
They had better never have been born than have done as they did: as you
shall hear.

"We had been dancing merrily all night, and the supper (chiefly of the
delicate condor, the luscious adjutant, and othe