OURSELVES. Twenty months have hardly rolled away since the warrant of the Sovereign called into existence the Second Battalion of the TENTH, or NORTH LINCOLN Regiment of Foot; yet our childhood, and our boyhood, have gone by, and in the pride of early manhood—with high hopes and aspirations-we are about to spread our First Colours to the breezes of a distant land. Nursed in the remembrance of the glory of our elder brother-the gallant First Battalion-we may be forgiven if we exult in our "NUMBER," and in the laurels which have been won and worn by the TENTH REGIMENT, for more than a hundred and fifty years. The light of battle first glimmered upon their spears at STEINKIRK; it played around their Colours at BLENHEIM, at RAMILIES, at MALPLAQUET, and OUDENARDE; and it shone with a brilliant splendour, above their ranks at SOBRAON, and MOOLTAN. Later still, when Hindoo fanaticism aimed at the destruction of British supremacy in the East, the TENTH forgot not their ancient glory and renown, but acquitted themselves with honour; and two companies of the Regiment were distinguished by the ever-lamented Havelock, with the title of "the Saviours of Benares." But in the height of our enthusiasm, we are wandering away with the First Battalion, and neglecting our more immediate subject,--ourselves. We are young, and we are leaving, for the first time as a regiment, Home and all that makes Home dear to us, the friends of our childhood and NO. 1. our youth. Our services are required by our Queen and Country, far from our native land; we go willingly and cheerfully, as good soldiers should, but there is a lingering thought which casts a momentary gloom over even the lightest heart amongst us, that perhaps, when next we tread the shores of Albion, many of those dearest to us on earth, shall have "Gone to that bourne whence no traveller returns." Hope, Pride, and Sorrow, stand round us as we write, and conflicting thoughts and memories of the past are crowding thick upon us. The first number of the "NORTH LINCOLN SPHINX" goes forth tremblingly and half doubtingly, lest we have ventured on a higher flight than our young wings can bear; but hope gathers strong within us, and trusting in the partiality of our friends-for whom alone we write-we solicit a kind reception for our first effort in literature. We propose, should the career of our "SPHINX" be prosperous, to embrace most subjects that the talent, or the fancy, of our contributors may supply, and if we do not amuse, or interest our readers, we hope they will believe that our heads, and not our hearts, will be at fault. When we reach the glowing land of sunny skies, and lovely flowers, which is our destination,* a wider field will be opened to our contributors, and, perchance from the journals of the SECOND TENTH, scenes and adventures may be gleaned which will lighten up the columns of our paper, and win at The Cape of Good Hope. INAUGURATIVE ADDRESS FOR THE "NORTH LINCOLN SPHINX." The chroniclers of ancient times, One almost thinks, "How great a bore is When stupid facts, men's thoughts engage." Perchance you may recall the tale, Of Cadmus, victimized by Juno; Heard every day, as I and you know, Worthy of Hell and all its furies; Fearless of judges, and of juries; Well! at the gates of Thebes, she placed A creature, monstrous, vile and horrid; With fiendish skill to puzzle mortals; She sat her by the city's portals; The straightest lane will make a turning; And in a hideous chasm, cast her. In telling you this old-world story;— Some scions of Old England's glory, Resolve to raise a SPHINX up, (bless her,) Like, yet unlike, her predecessor. May she have woman's power to charm! Bird's wings, to bear her onward fairly! A serpent's wisdom, not its harm;— (The sting should be exerted rarely; )— A lion's strength;-the dog may lend His firm devotion to a friend! Should she a ridále e'er propound, May it give trouble in the reading! Let her not trust to rage misleading; To half forget its home-sick longing; And stifle memories, sadly thronging; May time ne'er loose the bond that links, The authors of the new-born SPHINX. PRESENTATION of colourS, TO THE SECOND BATTALION CAMP, CURRAGH OF KILDARE, 11TH AUGUST, 1859. The day for the presentation of our First Colours, broke inauspiciously with a leaden sky, and a drizzling rain, but towards noon the weather became finer, and, although the sun did not show himself, the rain ceased almost entirely, and we escaped the wetting which the morning had promised us. Lord Gough, from whose hands we were to receive our Colours, had sent word that he would be with us at two o'clock, and our preparations were made accordingly. About half-past twelve, we marched off from our private parade to the plain in front of Lord Seaton's house, where it had been arranged, the ceremony should take place. We were drawn up in line, and awaited the coming of the gallant old General with opened ranks. At the hour named, Lord Gough made his appearance, and, accompanied by Lord Seaton and a brilliant staff, rode to the front of the Regiment. After the general salute, the battalion, consisting of ten divisions, formed three sides of a square on the four centre companies. The Colours were resting, cased, upon a pile of drums in front of the centre square, and were guarded by two sentries; whilst the Sergeant Major and Drum Major attended to remove the cases when required. The Reverend R. M Ghee, -with the clear and beautifully modulated voice for which he is so celebrated,-performed the consecration service; and the two Majors of the Regiment, on the conclusion of the blessing, handed the Colours to Lord Gough-Previously to the presentation, the Hero of Sobraon, adressed the Regiment as follows, -with a firmness of voice and a distinctness of enunciation which enabled him to be heard by almost the entire battalion. "Colonel Fenwick and brother soldiers of the 10th Regiment, I have undertaken to-day, at the request of your commanding officer, the performance of a very interesting. still a very imposing ceremony, that of presenting these Colours, to be protected by the exertions, by the energy, by the life of the regiment. In presenting them to you I need not implore of or ever recommend you to protect them. I know what the 10th Regiment have performed under their old Colours, and I am well persuaded that the colours now presented to you will be equally upheld at the risk of life, at the risk of every thing that is dear to man, with a view to uphold the honor of your Queen and Country-yes, soldiers! and the honor of your regiment too-an honor dear to every man who wears a red coat, and I am convinced doubly dear to the 10th Regiinent, who have attained such a weight of glory by their brilliant achievements in the field. I am not stating what I have heard or what I have read of. No, brother soldiers, I am speaking of what I have seen, of what I have witnessed, on the field of action, where their devotion was conspicuous; whence it was my proud satisfaction-and proud I was-to bring to the notice of my Sovereign the brilliant deeds of this gallant corps. I need not, I am sure, dilate on the duties of a soldier; they have been performed in quarters and on the field by the 10th Regiment; and I am well convinced that this noble corps will continue to uphold that which they have acquired-the respect of their Sovereign and their fellow-country men. I now beg to present these Colours to you. Take charge of them as your predecessors took charge of the Colours that are now passing away; I can only recommend you to follow their bright example, and may the God of Battles preserve, protect, and bless you." Colonel Fenwick C. B. The Commanding Officer of the Regiment, then replied briefly in the following words : "Lord Gough, allow me, in the name of the Officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the young 10th, to return you our sincere thanks for the honor you have done us this day in presenting us with these Colours. We are a band of young men; but I am sure that the Second Battalion will emulate the deeds of the First Battalion, and I am certain that those Colours with which you have now presented us will be carried as gallantly and as succesfully as those were, which your Lordship did us the honor to present to us some seventeen years ago; and should any inducement be required besides the performance of our duty, which I hold to be the greatest and chiefest inducement of all, it will be the remembrance of this day, and of the distinguished individual whose deeds and whose victories in Europe and Asia history records." "Mr. M'Ghee, I have also to thank you for the honor you have done us in officiating this day at the presentation of our Colours." After the address and reply thereto, the Ensigns, Messrs. Barnett and Berger, knelt and received the Colours from the General, whilst the regiment presented arms and the band played the National Anthem. The battalion was then wheeled back into line, No. 1 Company remaining in front as an escort for the Colours, which were trooped up the front rank of the right wing, then down between the ranks from right to left and up the front rank of the left wing to their proper place in the centre of the line. When the Colours were in position, the escort moved to its place on the right of the line, the regiment at the same time shouldering arms. Next, the whole battalion once more saluted, as the bright new Colours were flown for the first time. The 1st Royal Dragoons, had kindly given up their messroom, which adjoined ours, and a temporary passage connected the two apartments. The rooms were magnificently decorated: in one, appeared bayonets and rifles disposed in every variety of fancitul design; and in the other, stars of sabres and the gorgeous helmets of the Heavies were arranged upon the walls in glittering splendour. Having sought the protection of the ball-room from the rain, the gay company of guests now endeavoured to hasten the lapse of time, by The ranks were then closed, and the regiment, breaking into open column, right in front, marched past in slow and quick time; next, closed to quarter-distance and doubled past with sloped arms and bayonets fixed; and, finally, after open-exercising their limbs in the graceful dance; and the ball ing out to wheeling-distance, the battalion once more formed line, and advanced in slow time with opened ranks-saluting as it halted. THE OFFICERS' BALL. commenced, in consequence, much earlier than was intended. Notwithstanding this, however, daylight had appeared on the following morning, before the festivities were closed, and it was well nigh ten o'clock ere the last lingerer deserted the scene, which had been so gay and splendid on the night before. THE SERGEANTS' BALL. The Officers' mess-hut had scarcely resumed its wonted appearance after the ball of the 11th August, when "there was a sound of revelry" ing, in an opposite quarter of the Tenth Lines, where the Sergeants of the regiment were doing honour to their First Colours, in the society of a host of guests, who had assembled from the surrounding neighbourhood to "chase the glowing hours with flying feet." The rooms were handsomely decorated, and scrolls, containing the names of the principal actions, in which the regiment had figured, were gracefully disposed amongst the glistening swords and bayonets, which reflected the light of the lamps from their polished blades, like sheets of brilliants. A noble pavilion, capable of containing all the assembled company, numerous as they were, had been erected outside the Officers' mess-house, and, after the conclusion of the ceremony above described, the interior was soon filled with rustling silks and brilliant uniforms of various kinds. The grey-haired Hero, who had presented us with our Colours, occupied the seat of honour; but, otherwise, all were grouped heard breaking upon the stillness of the summer evenindiscriminately, and to judge by the buzz of conversation and the merry laughter, not uncongenially so. Up to this moment, the weather, though unpropitious, had not been decidedly adverse, but now the rain began to fall in torrents, and ere long, heavy drops of water insinuated themselves through the canvas of the tent, and startled the guests by their appearance. People shrank to one side to avoid the unwelcome visitors, and ladies gathered up their voluminous garments and thought with dismay upon their bonnets: but the evil rapidly increased, and presently, to find a dry place between the drops was not only difficult, but actually impossible: there was gloom on every face, and the merriest grew suddenly grave, when a drop of chill cold rain fell upon the top of his or her nose, or splashed into the champagne before them. The elements at last became unbearable, and sitting in a shower-bath under shelter of a cullender, would have been dry and comfortable compared with our situation: the fair ones resorted to their diminutive parasols for protection against the provoking drops, and several disappeared under the table, after the fashion of gentlemen who have imbibed too freely the cause being not identical, however, though in both cases the result of too much liquid. Matters became so bad at last, that almost every one took refuge in the mess-hut, which had been prepared for a ball. Two soldiers, dressed in the original blue costume of the regiment, which it displayed when first enrolled in 1685, under the Earl of Bath, guarded the entrance to the ballroom, on either side, and directly opposite, the bright new Colours drooped their silken folds over the gilded records of Marlborough's glorious campaigns. Everything went off well and satisfactorily, and once more the light of morning had illumined the eastern sky ere the last strains of the music had rung their echoes upon the emblazoned walls. THE ADJUTANT'S LAMENT. When a wet morning ushered in one of the brigade days at the Curragh Camp. |