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

9 1ST AEGYLLSHIRE HIGHLANDERS. 261On the morning of the 19th, the 91st, consisting1879.of thirty officers and 906 men, left A.ldershot byspecial trains for Southampton, being playeddown to the station from the Permanent Barracksby the 41st Eegiment.The trains arrived at thedocks at about 11.30 a.m. and the men wereparaded on the quay facing the transport.The s.s. Pretoria, Captain George Larmer,which was the newest of the Union Company'sCape fleet, had only arrived home eight dayspreviously, and in that short space of time haddischarged her homeward-bound cargo, beendocked and fitted with a new propeller, and hadallthe necessary alterations made to convert herinto a transport ship. The main deck aft, withthe sleeping berths, remained in its usual statefor the use of the officersand transportofficials.The fore main deck, usually occupied with cabinand state room for second-class passengers, wasentirely stripped of its fittings,and with theorlop deck, fore and aft, ordinarily used forgoods, was appropriated and fitted up. for troops.The embarkation commenced at twenty minutesto twelve, and was completed by twenty-fiveminutes toone, the whole regiment having beensafely housed on board in five minutes less than