But I was ready, and one gun thundered out its defiance, the shot sending the column into confusion; but they dashed on, and were within forty yards of us when the second gun bellowed with such dire effect that the foremost men turned and fled, throwing those who still advanced into confusion, and giving our men time to reload; while the infantry commenced firing from the windows on either side, and a company waiting a hundred yards away in reserve came up at the double, and, with fixed bayonets, took up their position, ready to protect the guns. It was my first responsible piece of action, in charge of the guns alone, and as I saw the dire havoc my orders had caused, a curious sickening sensation attacked me, and for a few moments all seemed dim. Just then our Irish gunner Brian exclaimed, forgetful of discipline in his excitement-- "Look at that now! Murther! what would my poor ould mother say, if she saw what I've done?" He had fired the second gun, and he stood scratching his ear with a curiously perplexed look on his droll countenance. Then he brightened up, and shook his head at the poor wretches who were crawling from among the injured horses to get into shelter of the houses to right and left. "Bedad!" he cried, fiercely, "I don't moind a bit. Come on, and I'll do it again. I'd forgotten about the summer-house and the fire." "'Tention!" "Yis, sor. I beg pardon. It was me excitement." But the enemy did not come on again; the lesson had been too terrible, and we all stood there, hot with excitement and fretting against the inaction; while preparations were being rapidly made behind us for evacuating the residency, the infantry now manned the roof, keeping down observations by a shot or two now and then at any of the enemy who appeared at the windows of the houses near. But I knew that before long they must know of our intention to retreat, and I stood there with my men on the strain, and watching the people who came to the help of the wounded and carried them away. "Oh, murther!" muttered Brian, at last, as if his tongue would not rest without speaking; "if Oi were a fut-artilleryman, I should desart. I couldn't stand much of this." "Will you be silent, sir!" I cried sternly. "Sure, sor, it isn't me; it's me tongue, bad luck to it. But, beggin' your hanner's pardon, would ye order one of the naygers to bring round a dhrink o' wather." I ordered a bucketful to be fetched, for we were all suffering from thirst and from the unnecessary heat produced by our clothes, which, like those provided for the British soldier, were utterly unsuited for our work, everything being sacrificed for show. The men drank the cool water with avidity, Brian looking at me with twinkling eyes as he helped himself to a second pannikin. "Talk about yer port wines and champagnes, sor," he said; "there's ownly two things fit to dhrink, and one's whiskey, and the other's wather."