ernoon our cup of delight was made to run over by
the appearing of our paymaster with his "stamps," as the boys call the
greenbacks. "We received two months' pay. The usual scenes of pay-day
were reenacted, and the occasion passed away amid the untempered follies
of some and the conserving wisdom of others.

The weather is warm and beautiful. Many of us are improving the
opportunity of bathing in the York. This, though not a military, is
certainly a very salutary, exercise, and one which we very much enjoy.
Boat-rides are occasionally participated in, and lots of sport is found
in raking the river-bed for oysters. "Two birds are here killed with one
stone," for there is pleasure in catching, and a double pleasure in
eating, these bivalvular creatures of the brine. Some days we live on
little else but oysters--a diet which is very rapidly recuperating our
overtasked powers.

_Sunday, May 17._--This has been a beautiful day, and this evening a
large meeting for religious services was held near the spot where Lord
Cornwallis surrendered his sword to General Washington. The place seemed
hallowed with the memory of those events; and it certainly ought to have
witnessed the surrender of many rebellious hearts to the "King of kings
and Lord of lords." The exercises of the meeting were conducted by the
officers of the post, and were full of interest.

Wild and rude as soldiers often are, they generally attend with pleasure
all religious services when they are pleasantly invited to do so. And I
think no one ever beheld more attentive audiences than here. So great is
the contrast between the spirit of such a meeting and the general tenor
of our work, that the transition is relieving. Then there is so much in
the life and character of a true soldier that suggests the experience
and principles of a soldier of the Cross, that a versatile and
interesting speaker in a religions assembly here finds ample
illustrations from our every-day observations for the unfolding of
Christian themes. And yet the main influence of Christianity here lies
back even of these statements; it is found in the ready response which
memory brings from the fireside religion of our homes, and the early
instructions of the Sunday-school and church. The "stirring up of our
pure minds by way of remembrance," which is done so easily in the
company of American soldiers, is one of the most potent elements of
heroism and right discipline which can be found.

The h