Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police MagistratePorter, Frank Thorpe
History
Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police Magistrate
Porter, Frank Thorpe
Crime -- Ireland; Criminals -- Ireland; Ireland -- Social life and customs; Porter, Frank Thorpe, 1801-1882
An infantry regiment of the line was embarked at Kingstown in a very
capacious steamer, I believe the Medusa, for Gibraltar or Malta. There
was a large quantity of baggage which the men were actively engaged in
conveying on board and stowing away. I was sauntering on the jetty when,
at one o'clock, they were directed "to knock off for dinner." The meal
was served on deck, and consisted of soup, bread, and meat, and the
recipients availed themselves of every position in which they could
speedily enjoy their repast. The circular seat around the window on the
quarter-deck was fully occupied. The soup was brought up in large tin
basins, and the bread was amply supplied, ready cut, from wicker
baskets. One of the men who occupied the circular seat, seeing a basket
of bread placed almost within his reach, stood up, advanced about a
yard, and having procured what he required, stepped backward to resume
his place. Meanwhile, one of the attendants had placed a large vessel of
soup on the portion of the bench apparently vacant, and the soldier sat
down in it. With a loud scream, indicative of acute pain, he rushed to
the tafferel, and plunged into the sea. He was immediately rescued from
the risk of drowning, and having been brought on board, was sent below
for medical treatment, and to get his wet clothes changed. I saw him on
deck in the course of the afternoon, and he stated that he was
suffering very little, and that he would be "all right" very soon.
Unless the temperature of the soup was below scalding heat, the
instantaneous application of the cold water, although of a saline
character, must have been extremely efficacious.
SAILORS LEAVING THEIR SHIP.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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