18 RAILWAY MILITIA MUSTER. 



ments, each containing six persons, many of whom are provided 

 with tickets for their respective places before leaving the 

 vessel. The horses were placed in sheds, ready harnessed, at 

 the different changing places, for greater expedition in attach 

 ing them to the carriages. Every arrangement in this line of 

 travelling is excellent. 



In passing along the railway, the train of carriages stopped 

 for a few minutes, which afforded us an opportunity of seeing 

 a militia muster, which some writers have humorously de 

 scribed. The dresses of the men consisted of all hues and 

 shapes, there were hats with and without feathers, and some 

 garnished with roses. The guns consisted of single and 

 double barrels, with not a few rifles amongst them. Many of 

 the corps were seen approaching the muster ground on horse 

 back, and others in light waggons drawn by beautiful horses. 

 The soldiers were, generally, small, thin, miserable-looking 

 creatures, and such as would not often have been enlisted in 

 the British army. A young gentleman, lately arrived from 

 England, and a fellow-passenger in the Napoleon and railway 

 coach, was quizzing the mean appearance of the militiamen, 

 when a blithe, jolly-looking fellow from Baltimore good-hu- 

 mouredly remarked, that such men as these beat off the Eng 

 lish at New Orleans ; and some conversation on the relative 

 merits of American and British soldiers took place ; the 

 citizen of Baltimore was drawn into the question. 



Whether American or British soldiers are the best, will, I 

 trust, long remain undecided by actual trial. There is, how 

 ever, no doubt, that the British are apparently more muscular 

 than the Americans, and I imagine also more capable of endu 

 ring fatigue and privations, But large men do not load mus 

 kets faster than those of smaller dimensions, while they are 



more easily hit by a bullet. My ingenious friend W , 



residing in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, is of opinion, 

 that the best fed army will always prove conquerors, and attri 

 butes the success of the American army and navy, last war, to 

 the circumstance of the Americans having been better fed than 

 the British. The influence of food in imparting strength and 

 courage to animals is well known, and, under a parity of cir 

 cumstances, the best fed army will prove victorious. But my 



