1. Yon Flag that once triumphant wav'd And thence the Gallic Eagle scar'd, Now sadly drooping falls: Yet while the pride of British arms, And British prowess lives, Those Dragon Banners ne'er shall want The meed that valour gives. 2. Around those tatter'd standards once, Firm as their island oak, A gallant band at El Bodon, The hostile torrent broke. O'er are those triumphs, past the hours And gone, for ever gone, the days 3. And must, indeed, the social tie Which each to other drew, And balmy Friendship's hallow'd bands Must they be broken too? Oh! no, while yet the life-blood warms "Doggrel as it is, Humphrey, we could not stand it. Old D- cried like a child. Can't help it, boys, can't help it,' was all his apology. We were a parcel of old fools, Ravelin, for there were few dry eyes among us. We appealed to the bottle for a cheerful parting, but our success was but indifferent. I determined to see no more of my old comrades, since separate we must, and they had not risen from their last meeting, when I stole away and threw myself into the chaise which was to bear me towards your cheerful nest." THE WEST INDIES. Dependants, friends, relations, Love himself, They fall, unbless'd, untended, and unmourn'd." THOMSON. THE WEST INDIES. THE West Indies are the grave at once of the physical and moral qualities of our army. The character is no less liable than the frame to suffer by residence in a climate, where vice and disease, debauchery and death, go hand in hand. Inasmuch as related to the private soldier, every effort seems, until very lately, to have been made to strengthen the debasing influence of a West Indian life, by utterly depriving him of the shadow of hope that he might one day return to his native land. If he were well conducted through years of faithful servitude, no prospect of discharge, no retreat in old age was before him : if he were |