talked of field sports, and declared himself ready to support every species of amusement to beguile the monotony of country quarters.

Cludde's wound, although not a dangerous one, was slow in healing, and it was not for more than a fortnight that he was enabled to be removed from Cowes to the quarters of his regiment. During this period, I made every exertion to get through what is termed 'Adjutant's drill;' and I so far succeeded, that the day before my antagonist rejoined, I was reported fit for regimental duty.

the

Cludde met me with cold civility venom still rankled in his breast; and, from that hour to the present one, I could not account for his vindictive and pugnacious feelings towards me, except, indeed, upon the principle that induced Mithridates to poison his rival, Alcæus, of Sardis, for having had better horses than himself in the race.

To return to the Colonel.

'Honest Jack,'

as he was called, was one of those men that win you at first sight; to a fine, handsome,

soldier-like appearance, was combined a kindhearted, open nature, free from guile or affectation. Upon points of duty, Douglas was a rigid disciplinarian; in private, he promoted every gentleman-like amusement; and never was there a greater contrast than at the mess dinner under his presidency, and that of his predecessor, Major Prowle. At one, all was good-humour, gaiety, and mirth; at the other, moody silence and suppressed anger prevailed. No allusion was ever made to the duel, but, from all I could glean from private channels, the Colonel had pronounced me to be a ‘fine, spirited young fellow' (I blush thus to trumpet forth my own fame), and had expressed his satisfaction at my having taken such stringent measures with the quarrelsome Adjutant.

CHAPTER VIII

'Bella, horrida bella.'

VIRGIL.

THE hostilities that were being carried on between France and Great Britain, had led to a series of misunderstandings between the United States and England. Napoleon had (as the American minister declared) revoked his anti-neutral decrees, and the government of our country were called upon to repeal the offensive ordinances complained of—'the system of blockade, and the seizure of supposed British seamen in American ships.' Unfortunately, during the embarrassed and disjointed relations of the two countries-coun

tries connected by a thousand ties which ages cannot obliterate-an untoward event occurred, which tended to increase the rancorous animosity that had previously existed, namely, the hostile collision of an American frigate and a British sloop, off the coast of Virginia. The conferences held between our new envoy and Mr. Monroe were unproductive of a reconciliation, and the message of the President widened the breach. He compared the seizure of the supposed British seamen in American vessels on the 'great highway of nations,' to that substitution of force for a resort to the responsible sovereign, which falls within the definition of the war.' He affirmed, that, under this pretext, thousands of American citizens had been torn from their country, and subjected to the most severe oppressions. The commerce of the United States had been wantonly harrassed, and the most insulting pretensions had been accompanied with lawless proceedings, even within harbours; and, not content with this

6

devastation of neutral trade, the British Cabinet had at length resorted to the 'sweeping system of blockades,' under the name of orders in council '-an innovation pregnant with complicated and transcendant injustice.

After a warm debate, in which Randulph and other independent members spoke against any hostile declaration, the discussion terminated with a declaration of war. The eighteenth of June-a day since famed in the annals of our country-was the one upon which the act of the American legislature was signed by Maddison.

I pass over the invasion of Canada, the surrender of General Hull, the overtures for a reconciliation between the contending powers, the fierce animosity that existed in Congress, and the violent tone adopted by the majority; suffice it to say, that the minds of the people on both sides of the Atlantic were inflamed, and a war unjust in its origin, unnecessary in its object, was carried on with the utmost hatred and rancour. The reckless barbarity