A Church Parade.

There are many entertaining glimpses of military life in the Von Tempsky MS. as it goes on. There is this about the corps on its return from a long march into the bush; the parade with the Flying Column (so called) was at the Queen's Redoubt, Pokeno:

“ The day following our arrival was Sunday and the first church parade of the Flying Column was held. We marched down to the redoubt and formed with the troops there the square for service. What a contrast our lot presented to the neat turnout of the troops of headquarters with their pipe-clayed belts and polished boots, and tidy blue frocks! Even our Regulars had discarded pipe-clay and blacking long ago, and their blue jumpers looked decidedly seedy. But the strongest contrast was formed by the Forest Rangers. Such ragamuffins had never before been seen on church parade, and I fear the service was little attended to; the troops were perfectly fascinated with such an unusual spectacle. Even the officers seemed overcome, particularly with the rig of our officers; but, heaven knows, a few months after that we looked all pretty much alike.”