four inches and a half, in the softest soil we could find; but it would
only grind up pinch by pinch. The fourth day the armourer was at work
again. The fifth day the whole company turned out in a rage with the
ground, and having got under the frost in some degree, sunk the grave full
nine inches more. This night another soldier, a corporal, died; and his
comrades were almost dead with disappointment and vexation. The bodies
would keep in the frost very well; but we had not a spare room in the
barrack, and their comrades wanted to get them out of the way of a wedding.
Well, sir, the sixth day I divided the garrison in two, and set them at
separate graves; but, unluckily, they drank to keep up their spirits in
the battle with the frost, and fought about the corporal's right of
priority, and the freezing point of brandy. Worst of all, they forgot to
cover the new picked surfaces with straw and blankets, so that when they
came in the morning the points of attack were as invulnerable as ever. In
despair they buried both in one grave--the corporal undermost--without
further efforts to attain a decent depth. As to six feet, it was quite
unfathomable. They heaped all the stones they could loosen over the bodies,
and the chaplain read prayers at last, after a 'week's preparation' and
suspense, 'snow to snow, and ice to ice.' That night a herd of wolves
came prowling by, and carried the corporal and drummer along with them.
The fifer--an Irish rascal--was laughing heartily the whole week; and it
was he set up the corporal's claim to the deep grave, to have his joke out.
When all was over, the sergeant reported him to me, for bragging 'that he
could have buried them six feet deep himself in two hours, and have
covered them up so _nately_ after, that the devil couldn't stick a tooth
in them; but he had kept the secret to be revenged of the corporal, who
had 'listed him one day,' and of the drummer who had 'flogged him.'
'Please your honour,' said he, when called before me, 'I was _sartain_ you
wished to find work for us this _cowld_ weather, and it wouldn't become
_me_ to say what your honour knew as well as myself--that a rousing fire