XI.] CONCLUSION^ 



tered ; and they wanted somebody to assist them 

 in making out their report. Having dropped 

 this in the hearing of our adjutant, who (I being 

 serjeant-major) was my immediate superior, he 

 undertook at once to do the job for them. After 

 suitable apologies and thanks, I suppose, they 

 accepted of his offer, and he, coming to me with 

 a great confused bundle of their papers, borne 

 behind him by a soldier, said : " Cobbett, here 

 '^ are these commissioners want somebody to 

 '' make out their report for them ; I wish you 

 ^^ would do it." 1 began to ask him how it was 

 to be done : " Oh ; G — d d — n me if 1 know, 

 " and I am sure they don't; but, there, look at 

 " papers, and come to me by-and-bye." When 

 I think of the job which he imposed upon me, 

 and how very small part of a minute it would 

 now require to make me fling the papers out of 

 the window, or into the fire, and kick the appli- 

 cant out of the door, I am astonished that I had 

 the patience to wade through, to arrange, to read, 

 to analyse, and to obtain explanations relative to, 

 this heap of abominable rubbish. I did it not 

 only without reluctance but with delight, and it 

 cost me about thirty nights ; for I had full em- 

 ployment from the beating of the reveille to that 

 of the tat-too. Very little sleep had I during 

 that time ; but, I made out the report and the 

 tables. They were sent home to the em})loyers 



