The drama of Saint Helena . by drills and insulted in General Orders,because he could not procure from Colonel Nicolas many men as he desired for fatigue duty. Theofficers of the regiment hit upon a plan of revenge,which Henry undertook to carry out. One fine morning, placards appeared on thewalls of Jamestown, on the gate of Plantation, andat Deadwood camp, to this effect : The public are respectfully informed that Brigadier -General Coffin will kill a fat bullock at his houseon Wednesday, the 10th instant, and three fat sheepon the Friday after. Beef from is. per pound,according to the
The drama of Saint Helena . by drills and insulted in General Orders,because he could not procure from Colonel Nicolas many men as he desired for fatigue duty. Theofficers of the regiment hit upon a plan of revenge,which Henry undertook to carry out. One fine morning, placards appeared on thewalls of Jamestown, on the gate of Plantation, andat Deadwood camp, to this effect : The public are respectfully informed that Brigadier -General Coffin will kill a fat bullock at his houseon Wednesday, the 10th instant, and three fat sheepon the Friday after. Beef from is. per pound,according to the piece. Mutton, hind quarter, is. id.,fore ditto, nd. The Brigadier-General further givesnotice, that tripe is to be had at a reasonable price ;and that geese are grazed on his grounds at id. a headper week, the ganders to pay double. In response to this notice Coffin received anumber of orders, but henceforth he would onlyfatten cattle and fowls for his own private con-sumption. Henry, who appears to have been the humorist. THE TEDIUM OF SAINT HELENA 143 of his regiment, further enlivened the garrison ofSaint Helena by another practical joke at theexpense of another general of the name of Keir. This officer, on a visit to the island on his wayhome from India, was riding to Deadwood fromJamestown mounted on Emperor, a big restivesteed, quick to run away, which Mr. Balcombe,Betsys father, had lent him. Being a poor horse-man, he drew in the reins tightly and kept a sharplook-out as he skirted the Devils Punch abyss was on his left ; on his right the verticalsides of high rocks ; and between the chasm and thewall, the road, barely twelve feet wide, neitherprotected by a parapet nor even bordered by aledge. Mrs. Abell relates that Napoleon, during the firstyear of the Captivity, would often cross thisdangerous pass in his carriage drawn by three Capehorses yoked abreast and driven at full gallop. Ithad no terrors for Henry either, as will be seen. ButGeneral Keir felt une
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectnapoleo, bookyear1910
