THE EED EIVEK EXPEDITION. 273 



are allowed no spirits, but have an unlimited quantity 

 of tea. Our old-fashioned generals accept, Avithout 

 any attempt to question its truth, the traditional 

 theory of rum being essential to keep British soldiers 

 in health and humour. Let us hope that the ex- 

 perience we have acquired during the Red River 

 Expedition may have buried for ever this old-fogyish 

 superstition. Never have the soldiers of any nation 

 been called upon to perform more unceasingly hard 

 work; and it may be confidently asserted, without 

 dread of contradiction, that no men have ever been 

 more cheerful or better behaved in every respect. 

 'No spirit - ration means no crime ; and even the 

 doctors, who anticipated serious illness from the 

 absence of liquor, will allow that no troops have 

 ever been healthier than we were from the beginning 

 to the end of the operation. With the exception of 

 slight cases of diarrhoea, arising from change of 

 diet, it may be said that sickness was unknown 

 amongst us. 



The same busy scene was repeated daily up to the 

 2d August, when the last detachment started. The 

 weather had improved greatly, and remained good 

 until nearly the end of August, when it again turned 

 to rain. The expeditionary force, from front to rear, 

 covered the route for 150 miles ; but as arrangements 

 had been made for communicating and sending mess- 

 ages either backwards or forwards, and as the officer 

 commanding the whole force travelled about in a bark 



