COLONIALS.

I HAVE often thought, since destiny placed me in this part of the world, how little I and my fellows used to know, or even think about the inhabitants of Australia, a country subject to the same laws, and ruled by the same Queen as ourselves, but in which, as compared to the Indian Empire or the Dominion of Canada, we took but slight interest. Now I do not intend to say anything about the life that is led by men who come out from home to the Colony, or about the effect such a life has on them, but I want to introduce to your notice the young people born and bred out here, or as they are generally called "Colonials."

It will very likely be thought at first that there is no difference between the youth of Australia and those of the mother country, but this is not so, and a marked dissimilarity exists between them. I may here say my young acquaintances have been mostly from New South Wales or Queensland, but from what I have seen and heard the sister colonies produce much the same article. There can be no doubt that, unless, perhaps, in and about the coast towns, the facilities for education are rather limited, although every effort is being made to render it more

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Even however in these schools have been es

universal among all classes. favoured localities where tablished, there are, it seems to me, a great number of cases in which education is most wilfully neglected. Nor is this to be wondered at, especially among the poorer classes, for when a poor man sees that his boy of 14 or 15 can earn from 10s. to 20s. a week, it no doubt requires some strength of mind on the part of the father to look to the benefit his son would in the future derive from education when he can in the present listen to the ring of the £ s. d. he is bringing home. But to turn from education to character and habits; it has often been said that a young Australian closely resembles a young Yankee such as we in England were wont to conceive him. Bold, forward, and in many cases without the slightest respect for their superiors, no word expresses so well as "cheeky," the first idea one is sure to form of a young colonial. I am somewhat intimately acquainted with a good many of the young people who attend a day school in this neighbourhood, and the accounts which I hear from themselves and others of the manner in which they treat the unfortunate master, lead me to fancy I should be more at my ease teaching a form of picked A House scamps than behind a desk with that restless crew in front of me.

I fear also that besides their general want of respect, Honour, the boast of an Englishman, is often unknown or uncared for, and that the love of praise reigns in its steads. The praise, however, that is sought after, is certainly not that gained by study or ability. "What!" I said the other day to a boy of 12, the son of a well educated man, "you don't know who the Prince of Wales is!" "No," he replied, "but I suppose he is some kind of a boss, what have you done with your bay mare?" So it is with almost all of of them, I have hardly ever found one who would not rather have it said of him that he could sit a buck-jumper, than that he was a good scholar or head of his class or school. The love of field sports is universal, and in hunting, shooting, and coursing they excel; it is quite an exception for one not to be a good rider, the facilities for practising that favourite exercise being so great. Cricket and football are not much played here, but further South there are many excellent players, as you may judge from the XI that was so successful in England last season, and I hear both a cricket and a football team are coming out to try conclusions with us.

With all their want of good breeding and of respect, the young Australian is a good-hearted fellow, and very persevering and courageous; if there is hard work to be done, or a dangerous task to perform, he will be the first to come to the front and the last to give in, after rendering in either case all the assistance in his power.

One prominent feature in the character of young Colonials I must not forget to mention, their utter contempt for any one who has only just arrived from the old country, or, as he would be called in their parlance, a 'new chum.' Nothing can insult a born and bred Australian more than to be called a 'new chum,' for in that term I am sure he feels that every thing stupid and despicable is comprehended. This feeling towards the late arrival from the Old World is extended to the scenes from which he has come, to the young colonial as to the Yankee they are 'used up' at home and the Colony alone he thinks can produce scenery or buildings worth looking at. I have shown photographs and pictures of places in Europe to my young friends, but have never heard a word of astonishment or pleasure, they look upon all that is ornamental without being still more useful as waste, and wonderat people spending so much money

and trouble upon what they deem so unimportant. There is a story in point of a young Colonial who, visiting England, was shown St. Paul's Cathedral among the sights of London; utterly oblivious of the character or purpose of that noble edifice, in reply to a question what he thought of it, he said "Oh! its very fine, but you should see Sonso's stores in Sydney!" the building to which he referred being about the size of the Ailesbury Arms in the good town of Marlborough. But he would not have been a true Colonial, if he had not found something superior in the Colony to anything London can show.

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I had intended, when I took up my pen, to say something about the female as well as the male Colonial; but I fear that want of intimacy with the fairer sex renders this too dangerous ground for me to enter upon fully. I may say, however, that the same characteristics that prevail among the youths are mostly reproduced among the maidens; a modest, bashful, young lady is a rara avis, I have seldom, if ever, encountered. From their early youth they are precocious in bold and saucy self-possession. evening, visiting some people I did not know well, the conversation turned upon Tarantulas, and several stories were told of bites on the arm, &c., and of other disagreeable encounters with these horrid creatures. Suddenly a small girl exclaimed as if in terror "Hullo! Mr. Z. look up there," and she pointed just above my head, "Where ?" I exclaimed, my thoughts naturally running on Tarantulas as I turned round rapidly to find—nothing! "Ha! Ha!" she laughed, "that shied you!" and she ran from the room to rejoice with her companions on the taking in of the New Chum. I could not help thinking of the reprimand such conduct would have brought her, had it been some stately English matron I was calling on in my "ain countree." Though forward and saucy as I have described them, Australian girls have their good points undoubtedly, and make steady, kind, and above all sensible and hard working wives and mothers, and in drawing this communication from your own special correspondent' to a close, I cannot wish you more comfortable quarters, or more kindly cheer than you could have out here among the "Colonials."

K 2.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF A FORTNIGHT'S SERVICE WITH THE ATTACKING FORCE IN THE KHYBER.

PESHAWUR,

December 5, 1878.

It is just a week since I returned from my trip up the Khyber. I could not bear the idea of sitting here at ease while fighting was going on within earshot, and so having been kindly met in my application by those in authority, I was attached to the 1st SIKHS for duty. Everything was arranged by the 19th ultimo, and on the 20th, S. and Major S., At. Gl. and myself rode out to Jumrood, where the 1st SIKHS and the rest of the force were collected. I got there about 4 p.m. and found the Regiment formed up on parade and ready to march, as orders had been received an hour before to be in readiness. Directly we reached camp the orders were given, and ten minutes afterwarde ours, the 2nd Brigade, marched off; but before giving my further personal adventures, I will describe the plan of operations.

Ali Musjid is on a detached hill and closes the Pass at that point where it becomes a mere gorge, but the Fort itself is commanded by a higher hill, Rotas, which is four or five hundred feet high, and (Ali Masjid) would not be tenable if an enemy held Rotas. The plan of operation was as follows: The 2nd Brigade (ours) was to start on the night of the 20th, and debouch on the Khyber at a point two miles in rear of Ali Musjid so as to cut off the retreat. The 1st Brigade was to start at 2 a.m. of the 21st, ascend Rotas and by its fire to render Ali Musjid untenable. The 3rd and

4th Brigades to attack in front. Such was the plan, and as far as conception went it was perfect, but in execution it failed. What took place was this:-The 2nd Brigade accomplished its task and was in position by 4.30 p.m. The 1st Brigade lost its way and arrived in Rotas a day too late. The remainder advanced from Jumrood according to the programme about 2 p.m. The guns opened fire without waiting for the flank attack from Rotas. An artillery duel continued for a couple of hours or so, and then somehow three isolated companies of the 14th and 27th N.I. drifted forwards close to the

ememy's left batteries. The Brigadier told the officers of these companies to attack and that he

would support with the 81st. They advanced, but almost immediately the attack was countermanded and no support came on; these three companies were exposed alone to a terriffic fire from an insurmountable position, and fell back losing all their officers (British) and in the 14th one third of the men; night came on and Ali Musjid was untaken. The gravest anxiety was felt, and Sir Samuel Browne had made up his mind that the place must be taken on the following day at any cost, as delay would result in a rising of all the tribes.

Few slept that night, no fires could be lit for fear of directing the guns of the enemy-the men had no great coats, and it was bitterly cold, though not freezing. Day broke and to the wonder of all the place was found evacuated, the cause of this was the arrival of the 2nd Brigade in rear. The enemy finding their retreat cut off had fled in the darkness over the hills, and through the Pass.

And now I will revert to the narrative of my own adventures. On the night of the 20th we marched six or seven miles through rough broken ground at the foot of the hills, crossing several streams and losing our way in the darkness more than once; about 10 p.m. the order was given to halt, and then and there, in the dry bed of a stream we all laid down, our feet were wet and cold, we had only our great coats, no fires could be lit for fear of warning the enemy and we had nothing to eat. I had a few sweet biscuits and some cold water in my flask, and that had to be my dinner. Where we lay we were encompassed by precipitous hills, and had the enemy only known our whereabouts we might have been massacred to the last man, but fortune favoured us. Next morning at day-break we started off, and now our difficulties began; we had steep hills to climb, and only a narrow rocky pass by which to ascend; the whole Brigade tailed off into single file, and our rear dropped miles behind the leading files of the advance. It was indeed lucky we met no enemy. After a few hours march we came to a long narrow grassy plateau, across which ran several streams of delicious cold water, clear as crystal, here we halted and drank to our hearts' content. The Soubador Major knew I had no food since the morning before, as I came too late for the meal the other officers made just before starting, and he insisted on my taking half a chupattoo from bim; a soldier of the

17th Foot sitting near overheard us, and made me take part of his rations, a junk of bread and a lump of cold meat. I felt much better for this and was able to go on; before this halt I was terribly done up and so were most of us. About twelve o'clock, we reached the ridge which connects Rotas with the higher peaks of Tartora; here we again halted, the Doolies and followers came up and we got our food. It was most enjoyable after the long tiring march, and I had no sooner eaten than I fell asleep, but not for long. At two o'clock, Col. Jenkins, of the Guides, was ordered by the Brigadier to take on portions of his own Regiment and the 1st SIKHS, and push on for the Khyber. There was no path, but a Khyberine said he would take us down a water course to the point we wished to reach. The distance was about four miles, and the whole way it was not a march, but a scramble. It was the narrow rocky bed of a mountain torrent, down which we went. At one moment we were jumping from ledge to ledge, at another sliding down some huge boulder, on our backs; I am sure many of us could not have done it but for the excitment; we heard the booming of the big guns, and feared we might be too late. Here too, had half-a-dozen men opposed us, not a man could have passed, the bed of the torrent was never more than ten yards broad, and the cliffs towered hundreds of feet above, the Khyber is a joke compared to such a path.

At last about 4.30 we approached the Khyber by a narrow footpath, and clambered up the sides of the ravine and emerged on the rocky heights, which overlook the famous Pass.

The Pass below us was only about eighty yards broad, and we might easily have descended into it and stopped the whole Affghan army, at least such is my opinion, and that of many others, but Col. Jenkins, one of the best officers I have ever met, thought otherwise, and merely ordered us to line the heights.

A small party had clambered up to a high peak from which Ali Musjid could be seen, and signalled to us that the retreat had commenced; it was an anxious moment, we expected to see the whole Affghan army rushing past in the wildest confusion, and we waited silently behind rocks and stones to commence our task of slaughter. Presently as it was growing dusk, a troop of cavalry came dashing along. In a moment jets of flame darted out from behind each

rock, and here and there a man or a horse was bowled over, but the shooting was very wild and nearly all escaped. A few minutes after another group dashed by and then a third, and then there was a lull, and no more men came by. It was a pretty sight the narrow pass, the grim rocky heights on either side, the jets of fire, the flying horsemen and the theatrical defiance of one or two brave spirits who stopped in their flight to wheel round and fire on us, but it was hateful work, more like murder than fight, and I felt more like a spectator at a theatre than an actor in a real scene. Night came on and Col. Jenkins withdrew us to the top of the hill, we lay down thirsting, hungry, cold and wondering. Thirsty for want of water, hungry because we were too thirsty to eat, (we all had our pockets full of biscuits, and our flasks of brandy, but no water, nothing to assuage thirst), cold for want of blankets and fires, and wondering, because we never suspected that the attack had failed and yet had seen but so few runaways. I could not sleep, the rocks were so hard and jagged, and all night long I was tumbling from side to side trying to find a soft and easy spot, and watching the great bear's tail gradually dropping behind the opposite hill. At length morning broke, and we again descended half way down the hill to await events, then to our horror and surprise we again heard the booming of the guns. Ali Musjid we thought was still untaken! but it was only our gunners firing off the captured guns found loaded in the batteries. Shortly after up came a body of the enemy's infantry some 300 strong, and they surrendered immediately on seeing us. The rest had escaped during the night. The prisoners taken were a wretched lot of well armed and accoutred, but miserable, sickly, half starved boys. They all had Enfields, and were well supplied with ammunition, so had the place not been evacuated, the taking of Ali Musjid would have been a very bloody affair, as it was we lost only two officers killed and one wounded, with about fifty others killed and wounded.

But to proceed, for another hour or two we still remained on the hill side, perched here and there among the rocks, as of course we could not be sure till communication with Ali Musjid was established that our prisoners were really the last to evacuate. It was just like a scene from Fra Diavolo, and I should not have been in the least surprised if Col.

Jenkins had mounted a rock and sang a solo, while the prisoners formed a circle and joined in the chorus, but unfortunately the Colonel did not realize the artistic nature of the tableau we formed. When at last we got authentic news from Ali Musjid, down we came from our rocks, piled arms in the Khyber, lit fires and got some breakfast, after which I was ordered off on picket. My picket was on one of the peaks above, and I had a climb of over 1000 feet to reach it. The sun was hot, and between it, and the climb I was quite done up, when I reached the top, but the keen fresh mountain air restored me, and by evening I was all right again, and able to take some biscuits and Liebig's extract. In the evening I was relieved, came down the cliff and turned in for the night. It was our first comfortable bivouac as we were able to make a bed of leaves and rushes, were allowed to light fires, and had our blankets to roll ourselves up in. The bivouac fires, the sombre ragged cliffs, the sharp outline of their crests, and the starlit sky above it, formed a picture not easily forgotton. After all our fatigue the comparative ease and warmth of that night's bivouac was worth all toils of the last two days.

Next morning after a cup of tea, I was again off on picket, and as I reached my post, I saw our troops from Ali Musjid beginning to defile through the Pass at my feet. It was very pretty to watch the cavalry in troops and the infantry in companies marching along so many hundreds of feet below. They looked like little toy soldiers, so high above them was I. The bed is flat and composed of light shingle, a capital road for all arms, but quite impassable while the heights are held by an enemy.

To continue, whilst watching the Lilliputian army defile, I got orders to come down immediately and follow the Brigade, which was to advance at once. Down I scrambled as fast as I could, let the men fill their water tins and hurried after the regiment. I soon caught them up, as a mile or two further on the Brigade had been halted. The baggage animals of two brigades had got inextricably mixed, and as we had not yet received rations, it was feared the men might starve if we did not halt and re-establish order; so we halted, and another day was lost that the unsystematic order of march into which we had fallen might be rectified. Want of method and organization lost us at least a day in the advance through the

Khyber; with an enterprising enemy what a fatal loss that might have been! That night our baggage animals came up, and for the first time since we started did we get cooked meat. How we pitched into our tough beefsteak and ration biscuit, and revelled in the luxury of hot brandy and water!!

the

(To be Continued).

NATURAL HISTORY REPORT.

ON glancing through the pages of the modest-looking volume in green paper that has just been published, and which has been submitted to our notice, the Report of our Natural History Society for the year 1878, the first thing that strikes us will probably be very creditable amount of work that the purposely limited number of members have managed to get through. This unassuming but highly important School institution, numbering only some 40 members, nearly all below the Fifth Form, and helped by but three or four Masters, has contrived, during the nine months of the scholastic year, to hold sixteen meetings, one conversazione, six minor field-days and two larger ones, and to have fourteen papers read, of which nine are printed in full in the report, and of which five are entirely by members of the School. There are three illustrations, we see in the Report, all of them illustrating Mr. Rodwell's pleasantly-written "Tour in Iceland." One is a map of Iceland, the other two the appearance of the outside, and a diagram of the inside, of an Icelandic house. The volume consists of accounts of meetings, field-days, &c., the papers read, the records of work in various branches of natural history, (botany, entomology, and ornithology), Mr. Preston's weather report, and, last but not least, the weights and measures of about two-thirds of the School: this may possibly be the most attractive item to muscular non-naturalists: for they will see tabulated their height, weight, and circumference of head, chest, arm and leg, as well as the increase of all these in the last two years. There is, however, one rather ludicrous misprint, by which a member of the School is made out as nearly seven feet high; but in general the measurements seem accurate enough.

We are glad to see again in the pages of this volume a very familiar item-the weather report