The officers with drawn
swords saluted the flag, the troops presented arms, and the batteries of
artillery fired a royal salute.
This ceremony being completed, the troops marched past; after which,
they formed in order for a supposed attack upon an imaginary enemy, and
fired away about ten thousand rounds of blank cartridge in the advance
down the long slope which led to the temporary camp and tents erected
for the entertainment. Here the bugle sounded "disperse," and all the
men immediately set to work to light fires and prepare the food that had
been already supplied for their dinners. I believe this was the only day
of real enjoyment that the troops had had. The hours passed in rest and
sleep until sunset.
I had invited fourteen of the officers to dine with me, and our party of
eighteen was easily accommodated on the roomy poop-deck of my diahbeeah.
The Englishmen had a table to themselves in the garden, and were regaled
with roast beef and real English plum-pudding, that, having been brought
out in tins for Christmas Day, could not be found during the voyage;
therefore it added to the feast of the "day of annexation," and was
annexed accordingly by English appetites.
