MILITARY AD VENTURES. 17 



and, though we stumbled about a good 

 deal in the dark while finding our various 

 detachments, when we got to them, and 

 marched them to their places in the main 

 body, we were all safe ; but, being unused 

 to the darkness and the new life, I floun- 

 dered about dreadfully, and, coming across 

 a hackery bullock lying on my path, quietly 

 munching his half digested breakfast, I of 

 course stumbled over him ; but he was so 

 accustomed to affairs of that sort, that he 

 continued his occupation as if nothing un- 

 usual had happened, leaving me to scramble 

 up as best I could. 



I then made a rush for my detachment, 

 which I happily reached just before Major 



H rode up to enquire why I had not 



moved it into column. I explained the 

 cause, and then marched the men off to 

 their appointed place. The column was 



