Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

9 1ST ARGYLLSHIEE HIGHLANDERS. 233The animals were drawn upin sections ofthirty rank entire, and the mode of mountingwas : the men were paraded in rear of theirdonkeys, and when ordered to mount, scrambledup over their tails. Each section then advancedto thirty yards interval, with 100 yards betweencompanies, the pace beingfour miles an hour, and there beingduring the march at the post stations.Before the regimentat the rate of abouttwo haltshad disembarked atAlexandria, the arms and accoutrements had beenpacked in boxes, on account of the arrangementwhich had been made by the British Governmentand the Khedive, that troops taken through hiscountry should proceed only as private individuals.The colours were in charge of Ensigns Hamiltonand Grant, and were conveyed acrossthe seventeenmiles of desert in a van drawn by horses ;the sick being carried in the same manner.The men were dressed in white duck frocks andtrousers, with covers to the forage caps ;thechacos had been left at Corfu by special authority.The knapsacks were placed in sacks and conveyedon camels, all the impedimenta had been sent ona day previous to the march of the men, so thatthey found everything ready to embark on arrival.